Through Space and Time
by Heartlocket1004
Summary: Sequel to 'Across Space and Time'. Lilian Tyler is back as she joins the newly regenerated Doctor to travel the universe once more… except to her, it's her first time. Why can't Lily remember the Doctor? What are these cracks in time that seem to follow them? Who are the Silence? How will she cope, and all while falling in love with him… again. 11th Doctor x OC
1. 1-1 Eleventh Hour

*A/N I do not own Doctor Who or its characters, only my own OC. Contains spoilers for the series.

"Mrs. Angelo?" Lily called as she walked into the house where she'd been staying for the past three months. "I forgot to ask if you needed…"

She paused in the doorway as everyone in the sitting room stared at her.

"…Milk." She finished slowly. She looked around and blinked.

"Amy?" She asked, curiously blinking at the embarrassed red-haired girl standing next to Jeff, wearing her kissogram police uniform.

"What're you doing here?" Lily asked before glancing at the young man in torn and ruined clothing sitting on the couch, staring at her in absolute shock. He looked to be in his late twenties with floppy brown hair, green eyes and a large chin.

She blinked, recognizing him.

The Doctor meanwhile stared at her. _Lily_. He had immediately taken in everything about her, cataloguing any the tiny changes. She didn't look much different from when he'd left really- same long dark hair, currently pulled back into a ponytail, same bright hazel eyes. So, it hadn't been a long time for her then. He'd say perhaps a few months, a year at most. And yet it seemed far too long ago.

He swallowed when he saw recognition dawn in her eyes.

"Doctor?" She asked, and his hearts stopped. This time, it had nothing to do with the after-shocks of his recent regeneration. She knew him, she'd remembered him, recognized…

He frowned suddenly.

"Wait, how did you know it was me?" He asked confused, and she blinked at him, as he continued staring at her intently. "I've only just changed my face, how'd you recognize me?"

Lily's brows furrowed. _Changed his face?_ She thought as she said aloud, puzzled: "No, you haven't."

"Yes, I have." The Doctor frowned back at her.

"No, you look exactly like the pictures Amy drew when she was little." Lily said in confusion and the Doctor's shoulders slumped as he understood. She hadn't remembered him. But then he frowned- why hadn't she?

"How did you see those?" Amy cried, mortified and Lily shrugged.

"Rory showed them to me, last time we were at your house." She answered and the Doctor looked between them.

"How long have you known each other? And what are you doing in this house? What's going on?" He fired each question, his curiosity and his regeneration making his head spin.

"About three months, I'm lodging in the upstairs room, and I have no idea." Lily fired back and the Doctor had to grin. _That's my girl._

Lily added: "And who are you? Why're you asking me this?"

Her brow furrowed as she wondered: "How'd you know I don't actually live here?"

Amy interrupted impatiently as she reminded the Doctor: "Twenty minutes to what?"

"I'm the Doctor, I have reasons that I'll explain later, and the human residence," he addressed Amy at this point, "they're not talking about your house, they're talking about the planet. Somewhere up there, there's a spaceship, and it's going to incinerate the planet."

Lily stared at the strange man as he stared at the TV while a voice spoke up on the television: "will be incinerated. Repeat, Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence," Lily glanced at the TV, only to see a giant blue eye, "or the human residence will be incinerated."

"Twenty minutes to the end of the world." The Doctor murmured, and Lily gaped at him. How could he sound so calm? She wondered. Who was this man… and why did she feel as though she knew him?

* * *

The Doctor walked down the middle of a road, Amy next to him and Lily trailing him curiously. He didn't seem to notice her as he asked Amy, looking around: "What is this place? Where am I?"

Lily frowned.

' _How can he not know where he was?'_ She wondered, while Amy replied: "Leadworth."

"Where's the rest of it?" The Doctor asked immediately, and Amy sighed.

"This is it." She said a little bitterly. Lily grinned, knowing how much Amy had hated that she'd had to moved here when we was younger.

"Is there an airport?" The Doctor demanded, and Amy replied shortly, "No."

"A nuclear power station?"

"No."

He looked at her.

"Even a little one?" He tried, and Lily smiled while Amy scoffed: "No."

"Nearest city?" He tried, desperate and Amy replied curtly: "Gloucester. Half an hour by car."

The Doctor cocked his head as he answered: "We don't have half an hour. Do we have a car?"

He looked over to see Amy pretend to think before saying. "No."

The Doctor stared at her as they continued walking.

"Well, that's good." He said sarcastically. "Fantastic, that is. Twenty minutes to save the world and I've got a post office."

He gestured at it, adding bitterly: "And it's shut."

Lily snorted while he asked: "What is that?"

He hurried towards what he'd just pointed at.

"It's a duck pond." Amy answered, completely bewildered, and the Doctor stopped to stare down at it before turning back to Amy, when he finally noticed Lily.

"How long have you been there?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"As long as you have?" She answered, and he frowned.

"Have you been following me?" He asked curiously, and Lily shrugged.

"Yeah." Lily replied, looking at him oddly as though questioning his sanity - which she was.

"Why?" He asked, confused, and she replied blithely: "Because you said twenty minutes to the end of the world, and I want to help."

The Doctor stared at her and Amy interrupted: "What's special about the duck pond?"

The Doctor refocused on her and the situation at hand and he asked suddenly: "Why aren't there any ducks?"

Lily's brows also furrowed. ' _Good question_.' She realized. ' _Why didn't I think of it before?'_

"I don't know. There's never any ducks." Amy replied and the Doctor frowned.

"Then how do you know it's a duck pond?" He shot back and Amy answered, confused: "It just… is. Is it important, the duck pond?" She asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor said when he suddenly seized up.

"Why would I know?" He mumbled as he clutched his chest, falling to his knees as he grunted in pain. Lily's frown deepened.

' _Why does this look so familiar?'_ She wondered.

"This is too soon." The Doctor muttered between grunts as he fought his pain. "I'm not ready, I'm not done yet."

He continued to clutch at his chest, when the sky darkened. Amy and Lily looked up alarmed as Amy asked fearfully: "What's happening? Why's it going dark?"

Lily stared at a black disc sliding over the sun.

"It's like an eclipse…" She murmured, when suddenly the black dis disappeared and the sun began to shine like a burning flame instead of the natural yellow-ish light.

"So what's wrong with the sun?" Amy asked, confused and the Doctor replied shortly: "Nothing. You're looking at it through a forcefield."

He explained: "They've sealed off your upper atmosphere. Now they're getting ready to boil the planet."

Amy turned to look with wide, terrified eyes at the Doctor while Lily pursed her lips at his insensitivity. The Doctor didn't notice, turning around as they heard people murmuring.

"Oh, and here they come." He said derisively as he stood up.

"The human race." He scoffed as they all stared at all the people staring up at the sun and taking pictures on their phones. "The end comes, as it was always going to, down a video phone." He said scornfully.

"This isn't real, is it?" Amy asked suddenly, shaking her head as she shook in fear, whether for the situation or her mentality, Lily wasn't sure. "This is some kind of big wind up."

The Doctor turned to face her.

"Why would I wind you up?" He asked, puzzled.

"You told me you had a time machine." Amy answered, sounding slightly desperate.

"Do you really?" Lily asked, surprised.

"Yes," the Doctor replied to her before turning back to Amy, "and you believed me." He added in response to her statement.

"Then I grew up." Amy retorted.

"Oh, you never want to do that." The Doctor told her, when he snapped his head back at her. "No. Hang on. Shut up."

Lily stared at this rude man as he continued: "Wait. I missed it."

He hit himself on the forehead, as though trying to clear his brain.

"I saw it and I missed it." He hit himself again. "What did I see? I saw. What did I see? I saw, I saw, I saw-"

He went silent as he fell into thought, and Lily looked around as well. She saw all the people taking pictures of the sun, when she spotted a familiar face. Rory. She smiled, but it dropped immediately as she frowned.

 _'What is he doing_?' She wondered. Rory had his phone out and pointed, but it wasn't pointing up at the sky. Lily glanced at the man walking a dog that Rory appeared to be photographing.

' _Why would he do that?'_ Lily thought with a frown. _'What makes that man so special, it takes precedence over a sun going out?'_

She was shocked out of her reverie as the Doctor suddenly grabbed her shoulders.

"Twenty minutes." He told her and she blinked. "I can do it."

He spun to Amy, saying urgently: "Twenty minutes, the planet burns. Run to your loved ones and say goodbye, or stay and help me."

He looked intently between them. Lily's eyes were wide and she was about to nod when Amy said flatly, "No."

"The Doctor looked confused, blinking slightly.

"I'm sorry?" He asked, looking between the two girls before him.

"No!" Amy shouted as she grabbed the man's tie. She dragged the man off as he protested.

"Amy, no, no, what are you doing?" He asked desperately as Amy pushed him against a car just as the driver who Lily recognized as Mr. Henderson climbed out.

"Lily!" The Doctor cried for help, and Lily's brow furrowed.

' _How…?_ ' She wondered, while Amy ignored the Doctor as she stuck his tie into the door, slamming the door to keep the Doctor stuck. She reached down, took the car keys from the baffled Mr. Henderson, and clicked it to lock the car.

"Are you out of your mind?" The Doctor demanded of the redhead as he fumbled to try and get free.

"Who are you?" Amy demanded, ignoring him and leaning down to stare right into the Doctor's eyes.

"You know who I am." The Doctor replied instantly, and Amy shot out as Mr. Henderson looked between the two completely baffled: "No, really."

"Who are you?" Amy demanded as Lily approached them slowly.

"Look at the sky." The Doctor said, his words flying out in his urgency.

"End of the world, twenty minutes." He reminded her but Amy simply retorted: "Well, better talk quickly, then."

Lily glanced at the sky, but she stayed quiet, knowing from the look on Amy's face that she was not going to let anything sway her at this moment.

"Amy, I am going to need my car back." Mr. Henderson interrupted and Amy closed her eyes in exasperation.

"Yes, in a bit." She hissed out.

"Now go and have coffee." She suggested, or ordered, and the poor man answered, confused: "Right, yes".

Lily gave him an apologetic smile as he left to do as Amy had said while the Doctor stared right at Amy, rummaging in his pocket.

"Catch." He said as he tossed her an apple. Lily frowned as Amy caught it, looking down at it. Lily peered over to see a smile carved into the fresh apple.

"I'm the Doctor." The Doctor informed them. "I'm a time traveller. Everything I told you twelve years ago is true." Amy looked at the man in disbelief and fear. "I'm real. What's happening in the sky is real, and if you don't let me go right now, everything you've ever known is over."

"I don't believe you." Amy said, unsure, as she clutched the apple.

"Just twenty minutes." The Doctor begged as he gripped her hand. "Just believe me for twenty minutes. Lily does."

Lily frowned again, but the Doctor had looked down to the apple.

"Look at it." He told Amy, and she did as she was told. "Fresh as the day you gave it to me. And you know it's the same one."

He looked back up at the girl's face. Amy glanced between the apple and him, still unsure. She glanced back at Lily, who stared at the Doctor for a minute before turning to Amy and nodding her head. Amy looked back at the Doctor.

"Amy, believe for twenty minutes." He pleaded sincerely. The girl stared at him for a moment longer, before lifting her hand and clicking the car keys, freeing the Doctor.

"What do we do?" Amy asked as the Doctor freed himself.

"Rory." Lily said immediately, turning to run towards the man, at the same time the Doctor answered. "Stop that nurse."

The Doctor paused to glance at Lily but he then ran after her, Amy following last.

"Rory!" Lily called, and the man turned, just in time for the Doctor to grab the phone out of his hand.

"Lily?" He asked confused, but the Doctor cut in: "The sun's going out, and you're photographing a man and a dog. Why?" He demanded as Amy ran up, panting.

Rory glanced at her, doing a double take.

"Amy." He said, confused and Amy plastered on a smile for him.

"Hi!" She gasped, before saying to the Doctor: "Oh, this is Rory, he's a friend."

Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Boyfriend." Rory corrected.

"Kind of boyfriend." Amy amended and both Lily's eyebrows rose.

"Amy." Rory said, getting ready to argue but the Doctor interrupted urgently.

"Man and dog. Why?" He glanced between the pair, confused but dealing with the situation first. Rory paused, and his face turned to disbelief. Lily groaned.

"Oh my God, it's him." Rory whispered and Lily told him: "Not the time!"

Amy agreed with Lily.

"Just answer his question, please." She told her boyfriend, but Rory protested: "It's him, though."

The Doctor was looking increasingly confused and annoyed as Rory gaped: "The Doctor. The Raggedy Doctor."

"Yeah, he came back." Amy said, catching the Doctor's expression and trying to hurry Rory along.

Unfortunately, Rory didn't understand he argued: "But he was a story. He was a game."

The Doctor had finally had enough. He grabbed Rory by the front, pulling him and getting in his face, demanding his complete attention.

"Man and dog. Why? Tell me now." The Doctor demanded, shaking poor Rory.

"Sorry." Rory stuttered as he explained. "Because he can't be there."

Lily's brow creased. ' _What?'_

"Because he's-" The Doctor then spoke at the same as Rory: "In a hospital, in a coma."

Lily blinked as Rory looked stunned.

"Yeah." Rory said, nodding and looking freaked out while the Doctor grinned.

"Knew it." The Doctor said self-satisfied.

"Multiform, you see?" He explained as he fixed Rory's shirt for him. "Disguise itself as anything, but it needs a life feed. A psychic link with a living," he jabbed Rory's forehead, "but dormant mind."

Lily stared.

"So he's basically taken on the appearance of a coma patient to hide from those things that are threatening to incinerate us?" She asked and the Doctor turned to her.

"Clever as always, Lily. Like that about you." He answered and Lily blinked at him in surprise.

"Excuse me?" She asked, but they were interrupted as the coma-man suddenly barked at them. Lily stared.

"Did the man just bark, not the dog?" She asked in confusion. Amy nodded while the Doctor ignored them, turning and walking towards the coma-man.

"Prisoner Zero." The Doctor addressed him, and Rory's mouth fell open.

"What? There's a Prisoner Zero too?" Rory asked, dumbfounded and Amy replied curtly: "Yes."

There was a whizzing sound, and Lily saw a star-shaped thing with an eyeball in the center, the same blue eyeball she'd seen on the TV earlier, zooming around in the sky right behind them. They all turned to look at it as it began to scan the whole area, and Lily presumed it was to find Prisoner Zero. The Doctor turned back to Prisoner Zero.

"See, that ship up there is scanning this area for non-terrestrial technology." The Doctor told Prisoner Zero, as he reached into his pocket.

"And nothing says non-terrestrial like a sonic screwdriver." The Doctor announced with a grin, lifting a thin tool with a blue light at the end in his right hand.

They all stared confused as the Doctor raised his hand, pointing the sonic high into the sky. Suddenly, all the streetlights exploded as the sonic waves hit them while car alarms blared.

Lily watched in alarm as an old woman's mobility scooter began to zoom off down the road on its own, when a fire engine siren caused her to turn around. She stared as the truck drove off on its own down the road while the firemen chased after it, yelling for it to stop. She turned again to see the panicked look on Prisoner Zero's face.

"I think someone's going to notice, don't you?" The Doctor asked mockingly as the big eyeball's scanner got closer to them. Prisoner Zero barked at the Doctor menacingly but he simply smiled and lowered his arm to point the screwdriver at a red telephone box. The box exploded, glass shattering everywhere, and Amy grabbed Rory's arm in alarm.

Lily shrieked when suddenly the screwdriver in the Doctor's hand exploded as well, showering him in sparks. He flinched, dropping the hot device as Amy tugged Rory away from the sparks.

"No, no!" The Doctor yelled as he bent down over and picked up the burnt sonic.

"No, don't do that!" He scolded it, throwing it back onto the ground in anger. They all looked up as they heard a whizzing sound, and Lily's stomach dropped as she watched the eyeball begin to fly away.

"Look, it's going." Rory called, and Lily called, anxiety fraying her nerves: "Doctor!"

"No, come back." The Doctor shouted after the eyeball. "He's here! Come back!"

But the eyeball didn't hear him, flying off.

"He's here. Prisoner Zero is here. Come back, he's here! Prisoner Zero is-" The Doctor was yelling, and Lily and Amy looked over just in time to see the coma-man melt, disappearing down the drain.

"Doctor!" She and Amy cried, but it was too late.

The Doctor turned to look and Amy told him, confused and worried: "The drain. It just sort of melted and went down the drain."

"Well, of course it did." The Doctor retorted, sighing a little.

"What do we do now?" Amy asked desperately.

Lily saw the Doctor's brow creasing as he thought aloud: "It's hiding in human form. We need to drive it into the open." His brow furrowed even more, his green eyes glinting. "No Tardis, no screwdriver, seventeen minutes. Come on, think. Think!"

They all stood around the drain, the Doctor still in deep thought when Amy interrupted, staring down the drain: "So that thing, that hid in my house for twelve years?"

Lily stared at her.

"What?" She asked but the Doctor cut through her as he explained curtly: "Multiforms can live for millennia. Twelve years is a pit-stop."

"So how come you show up again on the same day that lot do?" Amy demanded.

"The same minute!" She accused and the Doctor replied tiredly: "They're looking for him, but they followed me. They saw me through the crack, got a fix, they're only late because I am."

Rory interrupted confused while Lily stood silently in thought: "What's he on about?"

The Doctor was still staring at Amy's face as he held out his hand to Rory.

"Nurse boy, give me your phone." He demanded, but Rory ignored him as he also looked at Amy.

"How can he be real?" Rory demanded, and the Doctor turned to look at him. "He was never real."

"Phone. Now. Give me." The Doctor interjected, and Rory shoved the phone into the Doctor's expectant hand as he continued to accuse Amy: "He was just a game. We were kids. You made me dress up as him."

The Doctor began scrolling through Rory's phone, and Lily joined to peer over his shoulder.

"These photos, they're are all coma patients?" The Doctor asked, interrupting Rory's rant.

"Yeah." Rory answered and the Doctor immediately fired back, looking at Rory: "No, they're all the multiform." He corrected. "Eight comas, eight disguises for Prisoner Zero."

Amy frowned.

"He had a dog, though. There's a dog in a coma?" Amy asked, confused. Lily shook her head.

"He's dreaming about the dog." She answered at the same time the Doctor said: "Well, the coma patient dreams he's walking a dog, Prisoner Zero gets a dog."

He glanced at Lily, and the Doctor said appreciatively: "As always, I like that you can keep up."

Lily frowned again but the Doctor jerked his head up as he had an idea.

"Laptop!" He cried, turning to the two girls. "Your friend, what was his name? Not him," he turned back briefly to point at Rory, "the good-looking one."

Lily winced.

"Thanks." Rory mumbled, when Amy responded promptly: "Jeff."

"Oh, thanks." Rory snapped, turning away. The Doctor ignored him.

"He had a laptop in his bag." The Doctor continued, miming it with his hands. "A laptop. Big bag, big laptop."

He threw his hands over Rory and Amy's shoulders pulling them in, but he was staring directly at Lily. "I need Jeff's laptop."

He turned to the two he had in his arms.

"You two, get to the hospital. Get everyone out of that ward. Clear the whole floor. Phone me when you're done."

He patted them once, let go and grabbed Lily's hand before dashing off. Lily heard Amy say to Rory, "Your car. Come on.", and she only had time for one wry thought as the Doctor dragged her back towards the Angelos.

' _This is turning into one weird day.'_

*A/N Surprised by how quickly I uploaded this story? Or… disappointed I took long? ;) Thank you to everyone for supporting me in this story, and for coming here to check this out. Also, huge shoutout to my Quotev reader 'mia' who volunteered to make the absolutely amazing cover image for this sequel story. Once again, thank you to everyone for all the love, and wishing you all a Happy New Year!


	2. 1-2 Doctor?

The Doctor and Lily ran into the Angelo house, still holding hands. Lily gave Mrs. Angelo an apologetic and somewhat sheepish smile as the Doctor pulled her up the stairs in a hurry. He paused at the stairs, and Lily helpfully pointed out Jeff's room. The Doctor nodded in thanks, before leading them to the door. He burst in without knocking, startling Jeff who was lounging on his bed, his laptop on his lap.

"Hello. Laptop. Give me." The Doctor said simply, and Lily rolled her eyes at his childish way of demanding things.

"No, no, no, no," Jeff protested as the Doctor let go of Lily's hand and lunged for the laptop.

"Wait." Jeff tried again, but the Doctor interrupted: "It's fine."

"Hang on!" Jeff shouted, but the Doctor jerked the laptop out of Jeff's hands, demanding sternly: "Give it here."

"Sorry about him." Lily said to Jeff apologetically as the Doctor settled down on the bed. Jeff barely acknowledged her words, looking shocked and mortified as he peered over the Doctor's shoulder while the Doctor opened up the laptop. The Doctor's eyes went wide.

"Blimey." He turned to look at Jeff. "Get a girlfriend, Jeff."

Lily tried to peer over at the screen and see what the fuss was about but the Doctor quickly placed a hand over her eyes.

"No, not something a beautiful girl like you should be looking at." He said as he quickly clicked out of the page.

Lily frowned at his strange behaviour as she removed his hand while Jeff looked completely horrified. Mrs. Angelo entered at that moment and Jeff greeted in some relief: "Gran."

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Angelo asked in surprise as she looked at the strange group huddled on Jeff's bed. The Doctor looked up from his typing.

"The sun's gone wibbly, so right now, somewhere out there, there's going to be a big old video conference call." He looked back down, continuing his work. "All the experts in the world panicking at once, and do you know what they need?"

He looked back up at the old lady as he grinned. He declared smugly "Me."

"Oh, that's not arrogant at all" Lily muttered.

She blinked when the Doctor seemed to freeze for just a moment at her words, but he quickly recovered and began working again as he said: "Yes, well, I'm the best that you've got at the moment I'm afraid, so you'll just have to make do."

Lily raised a brow, but the Doctor got distracted as, with a final click, he'd got what he wanted.

"Ah, and here they all are." He said triumphantly. "All the big boys."

He grinned, reading the callers: "NASA, Jodrell Bank, Tokyo Space Centre, Patrick Moore."

"I like Patrick Moore." Mrs. Angelo interjected and the Doctor replied brightly: "I'll get you his number. But watch him, he's a devil."

Mrs. Angelo smiled and Lily grinned, while Jeff protested to the Doctor: "You can't just hack in on a call like that."

"Can't I?" The Doctor asked as six faces appeared on the laptop screen.

The Doctor pulled out a wallet and showed the paper to the screen as Patrick Moore asked: "Who are you?"

"This is a secure call, what are you doing here?" Another man continued.

The Doctor interrupted: "Hello. Yeah, I know you should switch me off," the Doctor said urgently, "but before you do, watch this."

He typed quickly and Patrick Moore squinted at the screen, saying in surprise: "It's here too, I'm getting it."

"Fermat's Theorem," the Doctor told them, not looking up as he worked, "the proof. And I mean the real one. Never been seen before. Poor old Fermat, got killed in a duel before he could write it down."

He paused to look at Lily.

"My fault. I slept in." He admitted and Lily laughed at him. He was getting stranger and stranger… and she was loving it.

"Oh, and here's an oldie but a goodie." The Doctor continued to tell his now awed audience on camera. "Why electrons have mass. And a personal favourite of mine, faster than light travel with two diagrams and a joke."

Lily stared, taking it all in.

"Look at your screens." The Doctor told them. "Whoever I am, I'm a genius. Look at the sun. You need all the help you can get. Fellas," he said seriously, "pay attention."

* * *

The Doctor was typing furiously on Rory's phone as a man asked through the laptop speaker: "Sir, what are you doing?"

The Doctor barely glanced up from his work as he answered: "I'm writing a computer virus. Very clever, super fast, and a tiny bit alive, but don't let on." He said pointing at the screen and Lily snorted.

"And why am I writing it on a phone?" The Doctor asked, before turning to Jeff and continuing without a pause: "Never mind, you'll find out. Okay, I'm sending this to all your computers."

He looked at the screen seriously as he said urgently: "Get everyone who works for you sending this everywhere. Email, text, Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, radar dish, whatever you've got. Any questions?"

"Who's your lady friend?" Patrick Moore asked, and the Doctor chided him: "Patrick, behave."

He shared a glance with Lily, as a man asked: "What does this virus do?"

"It's a reset command, that's all." The Doctor answered and Lily gasped, understanding. "It resets counters. It gets in the wifi and resets every counter it can find. Clocks, calendars, anything with a chip will default at zero at exactly the same time."

"That's genius." Lily whispered, and the Doctor turned to her briefly.

"Thank you." The Doctor replied before addressing the screen once more: "But yeah, I could be lying, why should you trust me? I'll let my best man explain."

There was a silence as Jeff and the Doctor stared at the screen, Lily suppressing a smile.

"Jeff," the Doctor whispered, glancing at the young man, "you're my best man."

"Say that at the wedding." Lily chortled as Jeff whispered back in shock: "You what?"

The Doctor ignored Lily, flipping the screen down so they couldn't be seen any more as he looked at Jeff.

"Listen to me." He said seriously. "In ten minutes, you're going to be a legend. In ten minutes, everyone on that screen is going to be offering you any job you want. But first, you have to be magnificent. You have to make them trust you and get them working. This is it, Jeff, right here, right now. This is when you fly. Today's the day you save the world."

Jeff looked awed, then puzzled.

"Why me?" Jeff asked, and the Doctor and Lily replied at the same time: "It's your bedroom."

They shared grins before the Doctor turned back to Jeff.

"Now go, go, go." He ordered as he placed down the laptop, grabbed Rory's phone and Lily's hand, and dashed out the room. The Doctor paused as he thought of something, and then turned back. He popped back into Jeff's room, dragging Lily behind him.

"Oh, and," the Doctor said very seriously, "delete your internet history."

He pointed a finger at Jeff and Lily laughed as the Doctor then turned and left once more, pulling Lily along with him. They dashed out the front door and the Doctor looked around wildly.

"We could've asked to borrow Mrs. Angelo's car." Lily started, but stopped when she saw the Doctor spot something. He dashed off, pulling her too, and Lily shook her head.

"This isn't legal." She muttered as the Doctor let go of her hand to jump into the fire engine.

"The sun's gone wibbly and there's an alien fugitive on the loose, who cares about legal." The Doctor answered as Lily hopped in next to him.

"Can you even drive?" Lily asked as the Doctor turned the key, pushing all sorts of buttons and levers as he did so.

"I'm the Doctor, of course I can drive." He replied and Lily shrieked as he took off, almost crashing them into an approaching car.

"That didn't make sense!" She informed him when Rory's phone rang. Lily picked up, putting it on speaker and holding it for the Doctor.

"Doctor?" Amy's voice came through. "We're at the hospital, but we can't get through."

"Look in the mirror!" He and Lily answered together.

There was a pause and then Amy cried: "Ha ha! Uniform. Are you on your way? You're going to need a car."

Lily glanced about.

' _Well, it is a car… in the loosest of definitions.'_ She thought wryly.

"Don't worry," the Doctor answered brightly, "I've commandeered a vehicle."

He then pressed a button and the fire engine's sirens began to wail. Lily laughed, and she hung up the phone for him as he sped towards the hospital.

"So, Doctor?" She said, and the Doctor glanced at her.

"Is now the time for a conversation?" He asked, and Lily shrugged.

"Maybe not enough time for that, but there's enough time for you to answer me one question." She paused and the Doctor glanced questioningly at her. "How'd you know my name was Lily?"

He froze for the briefest moment before he tried: "You told me."

"No, I didn't." She replied, and for a moment the Doctor cursed the fact that she was clever.

Lily went on, unaware of his confliction: "I distinctly remember not saying it, because I saw, in your eyes, that you recognized me when we met."

The Doctor didn't answer, so she tried a different route.

"So, you're a time-traveller right? Do I meet you in the future, well my future? Is that how you know me?" She asked, and the Doctor was saved from responding as the phone rang again.

He nodded at it, and Lily sighed before answering, putting it on speaker again.

"Are you in?" The Doctor asked immediately, and Amy replied: "Yep. But so's Prisoner Zero."

Lily frowned and she and the Doctor exchanged worried glances.

"You need to get out of there." The Doctor said urgently, only to be met with silence.

"Amy?" Lily asked, concerned.

"Amy?" The Doctor asked as well, but there was no reply.

"Amy, what's happening?" He asked. Silence again.

"Amy, talk to me!" He demanded worriedly.

"We're in the coma ward," Amy answered abruptly, "but it's here. It's getting in."

Lily's face paled, while the Doctor asked immediately: "Which window are you?"

Lily glanced at him, then pressed a button to raise the ladder on the fire engine's roof.

"What, sorry?" Amy's confused voice came through.

 **"** Which window?" Lily and the Doctor said at the same time, Lily's nerves frazzled from all her worrying.

"First floor, on the left, fourth from the end." Amy replied quickly. They heard a crack and a roar over the phone.

"Amy?!" Lily cried but Amy hung up on her.

"Quickly, tell her to duck." The Doctor said as they approached the hospital and the window Amy had mentioned, and Lily quickly typed a message to Amy with one word: 'Duck.'

A few seconds after she'd sent the message the Doctor crashed the ladder through the coma ward window, stopping them just outside the hospital. The Doctor quickly clambered up the ladder, Lily hot on his heels. He jumped through the broken window, turning to help Lily through carefully so she wasn't cut by the glass.

"Right! Hello. Am I late?" He asked Amy and Rory, before peering at the clock on the wall above Prisoner Zero's head.

Lily stared at Prisoner Zero's new form as the Doctor continued relieved. "No, three minutes to go. So still time."

"Time for what, Time Lord?" Prisoner Zero asked scathingly. The Doctor looked at the woman holding two girls' hands with raised eyebrows, and the two aliens stared each other down.

"Take the disguise off." The Doctor ordered. "They'll find you in a heartbeat. Nobody dies."

He opened his arms a little as if to say 'come on.'

"The Atraxi will kill me this time." Prisoner Zero told him. "If I am to die, let there be fire."

Amy and Rory stared in horror, while the Doctor just laughed.

"Okay. You came to this world by opening a crack in space and time. Do it again. Just leave." He half-threatened her.

"I did not open the crack." Prisoner Zero informed him and the Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Somebody did." He retorted, speaking slowly.

Prisoner Zero answered in disbelief: "The cracks in the skin of the universe, don't you know where they came from?"

The Doctor went silent, slightly averting her gaze and Prisoner Zero's eyes widened.

"You don't, do you?" She said, almost gleefully. Suddenly her voice changed to one of a little girl's, and Lily flinched.

"The Doctor in the Tardis doesn't know. Doesn't know. Doesn't know!" Prisoner Zero mocked, as Lily's gaze flicked to the clock on the wall.

' _Come on_.' She pleaded in her head, waiting for it…

"The universe is cracked." Prisoner Zero said, back in the woman's voice. "The Pandorica will open. Silence will fall."

Amy and Rory shared looks of panic, but Lily was focused on the clock and the Doctor. She glanced at him to see he was also keeping an eye on the clock, waiting for it to hit the countdown. Finally the minute ticked past, and the clock changed.

"And we're off!" The Doctor cried with a grin. "Look at that."

Prisoner Zero frowned as Lily laughed in relief.

"Look at that!" The Doctor exulted, pointing at the clock which now read 0:00. Lily saw Prisoner Zero turn to look at it as Amy and Rory exchange confused looks.

"Yeah, I know, just a clock. Whatever." The Doctor said, and Prisoner Zero turned back to him with an impassive face. "But do you know what's happening right now?"

Prisoner Zero lifted a brow, clearly confused, and the Doctor explained: "In one little bedroom, my team are working. Jeff and the world. And do you know what they're doing? They're spreading the word all over the world, quantum fast."

Lily beamed as she checked Rory's phone - it also read 0:00.

"The word is out. And do you know what the word is?" The Doctor asked with a smile. Amy watched the Doctor in awe while Rory continued to look slightly confused.

"The word is Zero." The Doctor declared, and Lily laughed.

Prisoner Zero's eye twitched while the Doctor continued: "Now, me, if I was up in the sky in a battleship, monitoring all Earth communications, I'd probably take that as a hint." He joked. "And if I had a whole battle fleet surrounding the planet, I'd be able track a simple old computer virus to its source in, what, under a minute?"

Lily grinned as the Doctor held out his hand expectantly, and she placed Rory's phone into his hand while he sent her a quick nod of thanks.

"The source, by the way, is right here." He told Prisoner Zero as he held the phone up. Suddenly, incredibly bright light beamed into the room from outside the windows. The Doctor's face lit up.

"Oh! And I think they just found us!" He cried out joyously and Lily reached up to hug him impulsively. He blinked in surprise while Amy and Rory ran to the window to peer outside, watching as the giant eyeball flew down, its scanner honed in on the coma ward.

"The Atraxi are limited." Prisoner Zero said calmly, and Lily let go of the Doctor so both of them could look back at the alien. Amy and Rory also turned back to watch the scene unfolding before them.

"While I'm in this form, they'll still be unable to detect me. They've tracked a phone, not me." Prisoner Zero said flatly, and Lily smiled. Prisoner Zero noticed and frowned while the Doctor beamed.

"Yeah, but this is the good bit. I mean, this is my favorite bit." He said with childish delight and Lily laughed again. "Do you know what this phone is full of? Pictures of you. Every form you've learned to take, right here. Ooo, and being uploaded," he scrolled through the phone, "about," he pressed a button, "now."

Lily grinned as the Doctor smiled while Prisoner Zero's face remained impassive.

"And the final score is," the Doctor said satisfied, "no Tardis, no screwdriver, two minutes to spare. Who da man?" He cried as he flung his arms out wide.

Lily's smile dropped and she wrinkled her nose at him. Amy also pulled a face as Rory and Prisoner Zero stared at the Doctor in disbelief.

"Oh, I'm never saying that again." The Doctor mumbled sheepishly. "Fine."

He sulked and Lily patted his shoulder reassuringly, highly amused. He smiled down at her, brightening considerably, when Prisoner Zero interrupted: "Then I shall take a new form."

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he turned to Prisoner Zero.

"Oh, stop it. You know you can't." He smirked. "It takes months to form that kind of psychic link."

Lily's face dropped instantly at his words.

"Oh no." She whispered, and the Doctor glanced at her, before glancing at Prisoner Zero as the woman sneered: "And I've had years."

The woman and the girls began to glow orange as she spoke, and the Doctor stared in confusion. Lily however spun around in alarm, crying: "Amy!"

But it was too late, and Lily rushed forwards as she watched the redhead collapse, unconscious. The Doctor spun around as well, finally understanding what was happening.

"No!" He cried, running to join Lily and Rory at Amy's side.

"Amy?" He called in alarm, but the girl was out cold. The Doctor grabbed Amy's face with both hands while Rory and Lily each clutched one of Amy's hands respectively.

"You've got to hold on." The Doctor pleaded. "Amy? Don't sleep! You've got to stay awake, please."

Rory looked up, before his face became alarmed and he shook the Doctor's shoulder to get his attention.

"Doctor." Rory said urgently. The Doctor and Lily looked to see that Prisoner Zero had turned into a perfect replica of the Doctor, complete with his ripped clothes. The Doctor looked confused and he sat up straight next to Rory.

"Well, that's rubbish. Who's that supposed to be?" He asked them, and Lily stared at him.

Rory was also looking confused as he told the other man: "It's you."

"Me?" The Doctor asked before he glanced down at himself. He looked at Lily.

"Is that what I look like?" He asked and Lily nodded mutely.

"You don't know?" Rory asked and the Doctor replied absentmindedly as he stood up: "Busy day."

Suddenly what the Doctor had said to Lily earlier came back to her- ' _I've only just changed my face'._ Her eyes widened in realization. Somehow, this man could change faces. Did that mean she might have met him before, she just didn't realize it?

 _'But surely I would remember a man called 'Doctor'.'_ Lily thought, frowning slightly.

"Why me, though?" The Doctor was asking Prisoner Zero as he stood face-to-face with his replicate, while Lily mulled things over in her head. "You're linked with her."

He gestured at Amy.

"Why are you copying me?" He asked, frowning as he tried to work it all out.

"I'm not." A little Scottish girl's voice said. And from behind the Doctor's replicate came a little girl with red hair. She held onto 'the Doctor's' hand as she stepped out and stood before the Doctor, and Lily blinked as she stared at the exact copy of one of Amy's childhood photos staring back at them.

"Poor Amy Pond." Prisoner Zero said, still in little Amy's voice. "Still such a child inside. Dreaming of the magic Doctor she knows will return to save her."

The Doctor was staring at the little girl, his face drawn as understanding hit him.

"What a disappointment you've been." The little girl spat at him.

The Doctor paused before he muttered: "No, she's dreaming about me because she can hear me."

The Doctor turned and quickly rushed back to the unconscious Amy.

"Amy," he grabbed her head gently as he murmured urgently, "don't just hear me, listen. Remember the room, the room in your house you couldn't see. Remember you went inside. I tried to stop, but you did. You went in the room. You went inside. Amy, dream about what you saw."

"No." The little girl said.

"No. No!" She screamed, and the two figures turned orange before transforming. The Doctor smiled as he stood up again, and faced Prisoner Zero while Lily stared at the silvery, serpentine creature, its yellow eyes wide and its teeth bared in anger.

"Well done, Prisoner Zero." He said in a low voice. "A perfect impersonation of yourself."

Bright lights flooded the room, trapping Prisoner Zero.

"Prisoner Zero is located." The Atraxi voice echoed as Prisoner Zero writhed and screeched. "Prisoner Zero is restrained."

Prisoner Zero stopped writhing to stare at the Doctor.

"Silence, Doctor." It hissed bitterly.

"Silence will fall." It murmured maliciously as it disappeared accompanied by a gush of wind.

The Doctor ran to the window, leaning out check the sky outside, before coming back in. Lily frowned when she saw his dark expression. The Doctor pulled out his phone, punching in buttons.

"The sun." Rory asked. "It's back to normal, right? That's, that's good, yeah?" He turned to ask Lily.

"That means it's over." He said in relief, but Lily was watching the Doctor who kept punching furiously into Rory's phone. The Doctor ignored Rory, walking out to pace by the door with the phone, and Lily got up slowly to join him as Amy stirred and her eyes opened.

"Amy." Lily heard Rory breath in relief, but she focused solely on the Doctor as she stopped beside him.

"Is everything alright?" Lily asked the Doctor quietly. He frowned, glancing at her and shaking his head before returning his attention to the phone.

"Are you okay? Are you with us?" Rory was asking as Amy sat up groggily.

"What happened?" She asked confused and Rory helped her sit up as he reassured her: "He did it. The Doctor did it."

"No, I didn't." The Doctor replied shortly. Amy and Rory stared at him.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked desperately and the Doctor replied absentmindedly: "Tracking the signal back."

He glanced at Rory.

"Sorry," he added, "in advance."

Lily pursed her lips as Rory asked bewildered: "About what?"

"The bill." The Doctor answered shortly as he placed the phone to his ear.

"Oi, I didn't say you could go!" He said sharply into the phone. "Article fifty seven of the Shadow Proclamation. This is a fully established level five planet, and you were going to burn it? What?"

He paused.

"Did you think no-one was watching? You lot," his voice turned dark and Lily shivered, "back here, now."

He hung up and threw the phone back at Rory.

"Okay," the Doctor muttered, "now I've done it."

He walked out the room, and Rory cried: "Did he just bring them back?"

Lily followed the Doctor out as Amy stood up.

"Did he just save the world from aliens," Rory cried as Amy followed the other two out, "and then bring all the aliens back again?"

*A/N Thank you all soooo much for already giving this story so much support! I feel incredibly blessed, and wanted to let you all know that I appreciate and feel humbled thanks to each and every person who favourited and reviewed. Thanks again, and hope you will continue to enjoy!


	3. 1-3 Doctor who?

The Doctor pushed the doors and they hit the walls with a bang as he strode down the hospital corridor, Lily right behind him.

"Where are you going?" Amy called from behind, rushing to catch up while Rory followed behind her.

"The roof." The Doctor replied before adding: "No, hang on."

He turned into the men's locker room and the other three followed.

 **"** What's in here?" Amy asked as the Doctor began to grab different articles of clothing, tossing the ones he didn't like behind him. Rory ducked about, trying to catch all the clothes the Doctor was throwing away so they didn't fall onto the floor.

"I'm saving the world." The Doctor answered, oblivious to Rory's efforts. "I need a decent shirt."

He tossed one he didn't like over his shoulder.

"To hell with the raggedy." He declared. "Time to put on a show."

He spun in a circle, flinging a coat over his shoulder dramatically. The Doctor threw another shirt he didn't like, straight into Rory's face. Amy and Lily stopped walking suddenly, and Amy's mouth popped open while Lily's eyes widened as the Doctor began to strip right before them.

"You just summoned aliens back to Earth." Rory accused as the Doctor took his tie off.

"Actual aliens, deadly aliens," Rory continued as the Doctor began to work the buttons of his shirt, "aliens of death," Rory's voice began to trail off, "and now you're taking your clothes off."

The Doctor whipped off his shirt as Rory turned to Amy.

"Amy, he's taking his clothes off." He told her unnecessarily as Lily and Amy just continued to watch in silence.

"Turn your back if it embarrasses you." The Doctor retorted without turning around, before moving to pick up a new shirt.

"Are you stealing clothes now?" Rory demanded, and he glanced at Amy and Lily uncertainly before continuing: "Those clothes belong to people, you know."

Rory finally just turned his back, while Amy and Lily continued to look, eyes wide. The Doctor had switched out of three shirts by this point and was once again shirtless when Rory murmured to Amy. "Are you not going to turn your back?"

"No." Amy replied smugly, not even glancing at him as she folded her arms.

There was the sound of a zip being pulled down and Rory's eyes raised to the sky as he prayed for patience. The sound of rustling told him the Doctor was removing his ripped pants and, finally, Rory stepped in to block Amy's view.

At the same time, he leaned over and hissed at Lily: "Aren't _you_ going to turn your back?"

Lily didn't even give him a glance as she replied with a large grin: "Nope."

* * *

The four stepped out onto the roof, and Lily was taken aback to find a large eyeball waiting to meet them, the giant eye staring at them from its position just above the roof.

"So this was a good idea, was it?" Amy demanded, sounding slightly afraid. "They were leaving."

"Leaving is good." The Doctor replied as he carried on forward, Lily trailing behind him while Amy and Rory stayed back. "Never coming back is better."

He then yelled at the eyeball: "Come on, then! The Doctor will see you now."

"Was that necessary?" Lily asked him, and he shrugged. She yelped when the eyeball dropped out of the star-shaped ship, zooming up to right before the Doctor and scanning the Doctor.

"You are not of this world." It stated as the Doctor pulled on some thin, red suspenders.

"No, but I've put a lot of work into it." Doctor answered lightly before he peered down at the numerous ties around his neck, humming uncertainly.

"Oh, hmm, I don't know." He held up a tie for Lily's inspection.

"What do you think?" He asked her and she shook her head.

"Is this world important?" The Atraxi asked as the Doctor pulled the rejected tie off his neck.

"Important?" The Doctor repeated mockingly. "What's that mean, important?"

He threw the offending tie back over his shoulder, and Rory caught it sulkily.

"Six billion people live here. Is that important?" He leered at the Atraxi.

"Here's a better question. Is this world a threat to the Atraxi?" He tossed another offending tie behind him, and it landed on Amy's shoulder.

"Well, come on. You're monitoring the whole planet. Is this world a threat?" The Doctor repeated.

The Atraxi eyeball projected a hologram of Earth between the Doctor and itself. The globe turned clear, before becoming filled with images- images of horrible wars, the atom bomb, but then of people like the Pope and Mahatma Ghandi, before turning back to the Earth.

"No." The Atraxi stated.

"Are the peoples of this world guilty of any crime by the laws of the Atraxi?" The Doctor asked as he pulled the last tie off his neck. Again, the globe filled with images, showing people harvesting and celebrating different occasions.

"No." The Atraxi stated once more.

"Okay." The Doctor declared.

"One more. Just one." The Doctor continued as he buttoned the topmost button on his shirt.

"Is this world protected?" He asked as he began to tie his final choice on his neck.

The globe filled with horrible images, a cyborg kicking up and breaking glass, round metal cannon-shaped aliens, different monsters, and Lily's eyes widened.

"Because you're not the first lot to come here. Oh, there have been so many." The Doctor remarked as the images continued. Lily, however, was frowning now as she stared at the hologram - something felt familiar about so many of those creatures.

The Doctor continued, oblivious to her confusion: "And what you've got to ask is," the Doctor straightened the bow on his neck, "what happened to them?"

Suddenly, the globe filled with the faces of different men, some old, some younger but that wasn't why Lily's frown deepened. She stared as, while the men seemed to get younger at different points, their eyes got steadily and impossibly older, before her heart dropped and her brows furrowed as the last face appeared.

The youngest face of all, save for the man currently standing next to her, it was the face of a man in perhaps his late thirties with big, sad eyes, his brows drawn together as he stared back forlornly. And Lily wasn't sure why this face elicited a reaction, but for some reason she was suddenly blinking back tears.

' _What is wrong with me?_ ' Lily wondered as she blinked, trying to clear her eyes as she stared into deep, dark eyes.

The face disappeared as the Doctor stepped through it, getting right up in the Atraxi's eye. He was now fully dressed in a pinkish-purple shirt in a tweed jacket and brown trousers, his look completed with a red bowtie.

"Hello." He said calmly. "I'm the Doctor."

And for some reason, that made it all better.

Lily's face relaxed and she found herself grinning with the Doctor as he informed the Atraxi: "Basically… run."

The eyeball retreated quickly back into its ship, before the star-ship zoomed away as fast as it could. Amy laughed and Lily was smiling widely when she heard a whooshing sound that made her head suddenly hurt. She winced before turning to look at the Doctor, to see he was pulling his out of his jacket. He looked down into his hand, and Lily peered over to see a glowing key in his hand.

"Is that it?" Amy asked, and Lily turned to look at her briefly. "Is that them gone for good?"

Lily suddenly felt a rush of wind beside her, and she turned to find the Doctor gone.

"Who were they?" Amy asked as she looked to the spot where the Doctor was.

Her eyes widened in alarm, glancing at Lily to see the brunette was staring ahead, looking at the open rooftop door. The girls exchanged looks, before they ran out the hospital, Rory following closely behind.

Lily barely saw the Doctor disappear at the end of the street, and she pushed herself to run faster, a desperate feeling creeping into her heart.

The three ran as fast as they could, heading towards Amy's house, and it was Amy and Lily who were the first to arrive in Amy's garden. But Lily absolutely started when she saw what was standing in the middle of the garden. A blue police box, with a small light on the top, and a small sign with instructions on the door.

Lily suddenly clutched her head, gasping as it suddenly pounded with pain and confusion. A strange whooshing sound started around her, the same sound she'd heard earlier when the Doctor pulled out his key, momentarily intensifying the pain before it began to subside.

When her eyes finally cleared, it was to see the box disappearing as it whooshed, and she was once again fighting sudden tears.

' _Why?_ ' Lily wondered.

She glanced to see Amy staring sadly at the place where the police box had been, before her eyes closed as she too fought tears. Lily reached out, grabbing the poor girl's hand, and Amy opened her eyes.

Lily saw the sad look of abandonment, and she pulled Amy into her arms - despite Amy being quite a bit taller than her - and hugged her.

"He'll come back again." She whispered, trying to reassure herself as well for some bizarre reason while the poor redheaded girl choked back a sob. "I know he will."

They stood there as Amy cried silently in Lily's arms, Rory watching them sadly, while Lily tried to understand why her own heart was feeling like it had been wrenched out…

* * *

Lily laughed as Amy did a silly dance, holding the wine bottle and pretending to sing opera. They weren't drunk, Amy did _not_ want a hangover for the next day, but they were just messing about, two girls having fun. Lily also simply twirled the wine in her glass, watching Amy prance about in her nightie and laughing at the redhead's antics.

Amy had finally fallen onto her bed next to Lily, the girls giggling madly, when Lily paused.

"Do you hear that?" She asked.

Amy also stopped to listen, and the growing sound of whooshing in the silence was unmistakable to both of them.

Amy looked at Lily with wide eyes, before dashing to look out the window. She stared for a beat, before rushing out of the house, Lily right behind her, not needing to look to know what would be there.

They slammed the front door open, and stepped out, Lily slowly shutting the door behind them as Amy stepped forward with wide eyes. There, standing in Amy's garden once more, was the blue police box, a dark shadow of a figure in front of its doors.

"Sorry about running off earlier." The Doctor's voice rang out and Lily's breath hitched. For some reason- she wasn't sure what- she'd been expecting a different voice. _But what voice?_

"Brand new Tardis. Bit exciting." The Doctor continued, obliviously, and Lily shook her head as Amy once more into the garden. "Just had a quick hop to the moon and back to run her in. She's ready for the big stuff now."

He patted the box, while Amy came to stop before him and Lily slowly made her way over as well.

"It's you." Amy whispered. "You came back."

She sounded shocked, and Lily didn't blame her.

"Course I came back." The Doctor answered lightly. "I always come back. Something wrong with that?" He asked and Lily stared at him.

He was still in the dark, so she couldn't see his face but…

 _'He's joking, right?'_ She thought in disbelief.

Amy stepped closer, staring at him.

"And you kept the clothes." She murmured and the Doctor looked down, as though in surprise.

"Well, I just saved the world." He said defensively. "The whole planet, for about the millionth time, no charge." Lily also stepped forward. "Yeah, shoot me. I kept the clothes."

Lily could now see him clearly, including his face and…

"Including the bow tie." Amy said with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's cool." The Doctor said defensively, straightening said item. "Bow ties are cool. What do you think, Lily?"

He turned to the brunette, addressing his question directly at her, and Lily stared at him.

"Are you daft?" She asked, and he frowned: "No."

"Are you from another planet?" Amy interjected and the Doctor grinned.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Okay." Amy said slowly.

The Doctor fidgeted before asking at last: "So what do you think?"

"Of what?" Amy asked while Lily asked: "Of the bowtie?"

The Doctor smiled at that, looking at Lily with soft eyes. She blinked at his sudden sincerity, while Amy frowned as she felt a little putout by his attention to her friend.

Lily paused before saying slowly: "If it makes a difference, I think it suits you."

"It does make a difference." He said so softly Lily wasn't sure she'd heard him right before he continued in his usual cheery voice: "Other planets. Want to check some out?"

Lily's eyes widened, while Amy asked, her brows furrowed: "What does that mean?"

"It means." The Doctor began, awkwardly. "Well, it means… come with me."

"Is that the pickup line you use on all girls?" Lily teased. She was surprised when the Doctor's face seemed to fall, just a little before he was back to his usual self.

"Maybe." He joked, and Amy looked at Lily.

"How can you be so calm and cheery?" She asked, her face a mix of angry and scared and Lily shrugged.

"I dunno, I just… feel like I can trust him." She said slowly as she glanced at the Doctor and he beamed, while his hearts tugged.

"Besides, he did save our lives and the whole world. Again, apparently." Lily reminded Amy. The redhead pursed her lips before turning to the Doctor.

"Go where?" She asked, and the Doctor grinned.

"Wherever you like." The Doctor said lightly. Amy glanced in wonder at the box.

"All that stuff that happened. The hospital, the spaceships, Prisoner Zero." She murmured, glancing at the Doctor.

"Oh, don't worry, that's just the beginning. There's loads more." The Doctor assured her.

"Yeah, but those things," Amy continued and Lily raised her eyebrows, seeing where this was going, "those amazing things, all that stuff."

Amy breathed, and the Doctor waited, not really seeing where this was going but nodding along. He smiled uncertainly when Amy paused, before Amy's face changed as she got right up in the Doctor's face.

"That was two years ago." She told him sternly.

"Oh!" The Doctor said, looking at the angry woman before him. He glanced at Lily who was looking amused.

"Oops." He muttered and Amy spat angrily: "Yeah."

"So that's-" The Doctor began and Amy cut across him furiously: "Fourteen years!"

"Fourteen years since fish custard." The Doctor mumbled.

He stepped towards the redhead and he murmured: "Amy Pond, the girl who waited," his green eyes peered at hers, "you've waited long enough."

He looked at her beseechingly, and Amy stared at him for a heartbeat before looking up at the blue box.

"When I was a kid," she murmured longingly "you said there was a swimming pool and a library, and the swimming pool was in the library."

Lily's eyes saddened as she saw Amy's disbelieving face, knowing it stemmed from her fear of getting hurt again.

"Yeah. Not sure where it's got to now." The Doctor mused. "It'll turn up. So, coming?" He asked abruptly.

Amy gave a light shake of her head.

"No." She breathed and the Doctor raised his eyebrows at her.

"You wanted to come fourteen years ago." He pointed out and Amy breathed back: "I grew up."

The Doctor smiled at that.

"Don't worry. I'll soon fix that." He said before turning to Lily. "You coming?"

She looked at him in wonder, and he was reminded of when he first asked her something similar all those years ago. The way her eyes shined now were exactly the same as before. And just like the first time, she paused.

She looked at Amy, and then she pursed her lips, her mouth turning down as she looked back at the Doctor.

"No." She said softly. Amy glanced at her quickly while the Doctor's eyebrows rose.

"I'm not going without Amy, and I'm not leaving her behind." Lily said firmly.

"Oh, don't worry." The Doctor repeated, smiling at the girls' questioning looks. "Like I said, I'll soon fix that."

He clicked his fingers and the Tardis door opened. Amy and Lily looked in wonder, Amy letting out a laugh of surprise before glancing at him, Lily doing the same. The Doctor nodded, and the girls stepped inside as he grinned knowingly.

Lily stepped inside and gazed around in wonder, her mouth agape and her eyes wide as she froze to her spot. The Doctor stepped past them towards the center while she and Amy stood in shock. Amy was gazing around the place, the room that was bigger on the inside than on the outside. She gasped, unable to move from her shock. The Doctor came back to stand before them.

"Well? Anything you want to say? Any passing remarks?" He asked them, looking excited and expectant.

"I've heard them all." He added on before dashing off back to the center to where the controls were.

Amy mouthed silently before deciding on: "I'm in my nightie."

Lily simply stared around the place, too stunned to speak.

"Oh, don't worry." The Doctor reassured her. "Plenty of clothes in the wardrobe. And possibly a swimming pool."

He turned to Lily.

"Well, Lily?" He asked and she finally turned to look at him, her eyes shining brightly.

"It's beautiful." She whispered, and the Doctor smiled gently.

"It's also bigger on the inside." She mused and he laughed, shaking his head.

' _Same old Lily_.' He thought fondly, before turning away.

"So," he began as he turned his back to the girls, "all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will. Where do you want to start?"

Amy looked at him, her wonder slipping for a moment as her eyes narrowed and she went up to the Doctor.

"You are so sure that I'm coming." She said, and the Doctor turned to face her.

"Yeah, I am." He said confidently.

"Why?" Amy demanded, and the Doctor replied: "Cause you're the Scottish girl in the English village, and I know how that feels."

Lily raised her brows as she also stepped up to the consoles.

"Oh, do you?" Amy asked him, scoffing.

The Doctor grinned as he pointed out: "All these years living here, most of your life," he twisted some knobs, "and you've still got that accent. Yeah, you're coming."

Amy fell silent in thought while the Doctor turned to Lily.

"You're so sure I'll come?" She asked him, and he nodded.

"Well, I suppose I did say I'd go if Amy went, and it looks like she is." Lily mused, but the Doctor shook his head.

"No." He interrupted and Lily turned to face him.

She stared up into his green eyes, and he stared back down into her hazel ones as he said softly: "I'm sure because I know how you think."

Lily's eyes widened. Something, something in her memory was dislodged. ' _I know how you think.'_ Somewhere, sometime, she'd said that. She stared up at the man, suddenly unsure.

"Who are you?" She asked softly, and the Doctor's lips quirked into a half-smile as he remembered this same situation from the first time they'd met.

"The Doctor." He replied, exactly as he had then, as he had many times before.

"Just that, the Doctor?" She asked and his grin turned a little melancholy as he remembered when he'd first heard those exact words from her.

"Just the Doctor." He agreed softly.

She examined him, her eyes roaming over his face curiously, before she peered into those eyes that looked so out of place on his young face. And despite the fact that they were the eyes of a stranger, Lily knew she trusted them. Just as she'd instinctively trusted him when she'd first seen him at the Angelos'.

The Doctor was also staring at her thoughtfully. He was having his own internal struggle - he'd sent her away, for good reasons. Should he take her back into harm's way? But… he stared down into her hazel orbs, which had once looked at him with so much love.

She was now looking at him in wonder, just as she'd done all those years ago, before they'd gotten to know one another. And he knew. He couldn't lose this again. Fate had brought them back together, for one reason or another.

And, of course, there was the question of _why_ she didn't remember him… and if it was a manifestation of her encounter with the metacrisis. He needed to figure that out, and best to have her beside him for that, in case it was dangerous.

Or, that's what he told himself.

"So," he whispered hoarsely, "come with me?"

Her lips curved upwards.

"Yes." She breathed.

His face broke into a magnificent smile, lighting up his eyes and he had to refrain from kissing her as his hearts swelled with happiness. Lily suddenly blinked, her eyes unfocusing momentarily in the strangest way. The Doctor looked in alarm but she was back almost instantly, and she grinned at him.

"Can you get me back for tomorrow morning?" Amy suddenly asked and the pair looked at her. They'd all been so absorbed in their own thoughts, none of them had noticed any of the others' preoccupations though Amy did now notice that Lily and the Doctor stood a little closer than she'd like.

But the Doctor was now grinning at her so she shook it off – and besides, she really liked Lily. Lily meanwhile was wondering why, just now, she'd had the sudden urge to kiss the strange man beside her.

"It's a time machine." The Doctor retorted, going to pull levers. "I can get you back five minutes ago. Why, what's tomorrow?"

Lily's eyes gleamed at the question, but she was taken by surprise when Amy averted the subject.

"Nothing. Nothing. Just you know, stuff." Amy said a little too quickly.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, glancing at Lily who was frowning slightly. When she saw the Doctor looking, however, she just shrugged. If Amy wasn't going to say it, Lily sure wasn't.

"All right, then." The Doctor shrugged. "Back in time for stuff."

He grinned. Suddenly a pointed device with a green knob at the end slit out from a slot in the console.

"Oh! A new one!" The Doctor crowed, picking it up and pointing it. Lily realized it was what he'd called his sonic screwdriver. It was different from the one that had burnt but it was good different.

"Lovely. Thanks, dear." The Doctor whispered to the Tardis. He began to twirl and press different knobs, and Lily and Amy continued to look around in wonder. Amy suddenly frowned again.

"Why me? Why us?" She asked, turning to the Doctor and gesturing to her and Lily.

"Why not?" The Doctor replied and Amy snorted.

"No, seriously. You are asking me to run away with you in the middle of the night." Amy replied, bordering on begging. Lily blinked as she realized why Amy was asking this now. Amy wanted to be sure it wouldn't change her choice for tomorrow. "It's a fair question. Why me?"

"I don't know." The Doctor replied lightly. "Fun."

He glanced at Lily.

"Do I have to have a reason?" He asked, turning back to the redhead, and Amy replied a little tightly: "People always have a reason."

"Do I look like people?" He asked and Lily answered "No," at the same time Amy retorted: "Yes."

The Doctor grinned at them both, before he ducked his head as he replied honestly: "Been knocking around on my own for a while. My choice," he hesitated, not daring to look at Lily this time, "but I've started talking to myself all the time. It's giving me earache." He finished back in his light tone.

"You're lonely." Amy said thoughtfully and he paused.

"That's it? Just that?" She checked and the Doctor nodded, saying softly: "Just that."

He glanced at Lily discreetly, but when he turned to Amy he meant his words.

"Promise." He said seriously, and Amy relaxed and she said easily, believing his words: "Okay."

"So, are you okay, then?" The Doctor asked them.

He gestured at the Tardis as he explained: "Because this place, sometimes it can make people feel a bit, you know."

"I'm fine." Amy replied at the same time Lily teased: "Do I look like people to you?"

He grinned at her, and Amy felt a pang of jealousy that she tried to do away with as she continued, looking around in wonder: "It's just, there's a whole world in here, just like you said. It's all true. I thought." She glanced sheepishly at the Doctor. "Well, I started to think that maybe you were just like a madman with a box."

"Amy Pond," the Doctor interrupted, stepping closer to her and Lily. He looked at Lily. "Lily Tyler."

She blinked and then frowned, but the Doctor didn't seem to notice as he swiveled his attention between both girls.

"There's something you'd better understand about me, because it's important, and one day your life may depend on it." He said seriously, and both girls looked at him intently, waiting for him to continue.

"I am definitely a madman with a box." He grinned, and Amy returned it while Lily laughed.

He chuckled with them, murmuring: "Ha ha! Yeah." He turned back to the console. "Goodbye Leadworth, hello everything."

He pulled a lever and Amy squealed with joy as she and Lily joined the Doctor on either side. They all braced themselves as they took off, all of them whooping and laughing in delight while the Tardis wheezed. But in the back of Lily's mind niggled the same question that had bothered her for two years.

 _'Who are you, Doctor, and how do you know my name?'_


	4. 2-1 The Beast Below

Lily laughed as she sat near the railings leading up to the console, watching as Amy floated in space. The Doctor was laughing lightly as well as he held her by the ankle, preventing the redhead from floating out into space. Amy was beaming as she looked about at the stars and the universe stretching out for miles around her.

"Come on, Pond." The Doctor said at last, pulling her back inside swiftly while Lily smiled and Amy began to laugh.

As Amy landed safely on her feet, clutching the Doctor for support as she felt her weight once more, the Doctor asked triumphantly: "Now do you believe me?"

"Okay, your box is a spaceship." Amy said with dazed excitement, her eyes still wide and shining.

"It's really, really a spaceship. We are in space!" She shouted into space and Lily laughed again, shaking her head in amusement.

She started laughing even harder as Amy paused, took a deep breath and asked in confusion: "What are we breathing?"

The Doctor explained good-naturedly: "I've extended the air shell. We're fine."

"How come I didn't get a chance to fly in space?" Lily teased as she finally got over her laughing fit and began to walk over.

The Doctor glanced back at her, grinning broadly, as he replied lightly: "Because you didn't need convincing."

Lily laughed at that, and the Doctor's face softened just a little. But he was right back to his normal airy self as he glanced down and saw something interesting. He bent down, saying excitedly: "Now that's interesting."

Lily peered down to look as well to see what looked like an island with cities built on it, flying in space. The Doctor explained, as he got up, moving back towards the console: "29th century."

Lily followed him back excitedly as he said enthusiastically: "Solar flares roast the earth, and the entire human race packs its bags and moves out till the weather improves."

He began to press buttons excitedly as he continued: "Whole nations."

"Doctor?" Amy called, but before Lily could turn around to see what the problem was, the Doctor had turned to her, looking at her excitedly as he continued: "Migrating to the stars."

Lily grinned at him, but when he smiled back at her she felt her heart beat a little faster and she was suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"Doctor?" Amy called again, but the two didn't pay attention, too absorbed in each other.

Lily was losing herself in the Doctor's bright green eyes, and he seemed to be in the same boat as he murmured dreamily: "Isn't that amazing?"

Lily wasn't sure if he was finishing his thought or if he meant something else entirely, but regardless her heart was now racing in her chest as she stared up at the Doctor. They were broken out of their trance with a start as Amy screamed: "Doctor!"

They both peered over, Lily twisting around, only to see no-one there.

"Oh, my God. Amy!" Lily cried as she dashed to the now closed Tardis doors. The Doctor followed behind leisurely as Lily wrenched the doors open to see Amy floating up, hanging to the roof of the Tardis desperately.

"Amy!" Lily exclaimed, feeling somewhat guilty and very much alarmed but the Doctor just stopped beside her and called up to Amy casually: "Well, come on. I've found us a spaceship."

"A little help first?" Lily suggested as she glanced up at her friend, and he grinned. He reached up and Amy took his offered hand quickly. Lily reached up when she could reach, helping pull the other girl back inside.

"You alright?" She asked as the Doctor just darted off back to the Tardis console, and Amy nodded.

"Fine." The redhead answered, and Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mind you," Lily added jokingly, "almost becoming lost in space is pretty cool, too."

Amy laughed as the pair walked up to the console, going to stand by the Doctor.

"This," he explained as he showed them the city on a round monitor, almost like a window, "is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. All of it, bolted together and floating in the sky."

He peered down at the girls excitedly as they smiled, eyes bright with awe and excitement. Lily's face was exactly the same as when she'd first stepped out with him, and it made the Doctor's hearts both leap and twinge sadly.

But he continued enthusiastically as Lily turned to face him: "Starship UK. It's Britain," he tapped Lily's nose, "but metal."

Lily grinned, her eyes shining. She turned back to the monitor, and the Doctor did the same as he finished: "That's not just a ship, that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and… shopping."

Lily burst out laughing while Amy giggled, as they saw the Doctor's grimace. But his face then turned pensive as he finished: "Searching the stars for a new home."

He then smiled lightly, but Lily's brow furrowed just a little. She'd noted a faint forlorn tone in his voice, but before she could dwell on it, Amy asked excitedly: "Can we go out and see?"

"Course we can." The Doctor replied heartily, but then he tapped their noses again as he said: "But first, there's a thing."

He turned and walked towards the console as Lily and Amy blinked in surprise.

"A thing?" Amy asked as the girls quickly followed the Doctor.

"An important thing. In fact," he stopped and turned to face them, "Thing One."

He picked up a magnifying glass and told them as he peered through it: "We are observers only."

He turned quickly back to the console as he continued seriously: "That's the one rule I've always stuck to in all my travels."

"Where'd you pick up that magnifying glass?" Lily asked in confusion, and the Doctor's lips quirked but he went on seriously: "I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets. Oooh."

He broke off as he saw something on the console monitor. Lily peered over to see a little girl crying next to a pole.

"That's interesting." He murmured, and Amy walked over to look as well as she asked: "So we're like a wildlife documentary, yeah? Because if they see a wounded little cub or something," she focused on the screen with Lily, "they can't just save it, they've got to keep filming and let it die."

Amy paused thoughtfully while Lily suddenly glanced to the side.

Amy murmured: "It's got to be hard. I don't think I could do that."

"Um, Amy?" Lily asked, but Amy continued: "Don't you find that hard-"

"Amy…" Lily tried again, but the redhead was staring sadly at the crying girl, still absorbed in her thoughts as she finished: "-being all, like, detached and cold?"

They both blinked as the Doctor appeared on the screen, touching the little girl gently and looking like he was trying to comfort the poor girl. Amy gasped while Lily sighed, and the little girl on the screen ran away.

"Doctor?" Amy asked incredulously and Lily murmured: "I tried to tell you he'd gone."

They watched as the Doctor turned to look directly at the monitor, gesturing at them to come and join him. Amy's head whipped to the door, and then back to the monitor excitedly. She then looked at Lily, who grinned. Both girls dashed out of the Tardis, racing each other with a laugh.

Amy ran ahead on her long legs, but as she opened the door, Amy suddenly stopped with a gasp, forcing Lily to stop as well. The girls peered around in awe at the large city they'd landed in, taking in all the different balconies and floors, connected by walkways. It looked almost like a giant shopping mall, built into a city.

A computerized voice was saying over the speakers: "Welcome to London Market. You are being monitored."

"I'm in the future." Amy gasped, and Lily nodded as she laughed breathlessly. They began to walk out, peering around in awe as Amy continued: "Like hundreds of years in the future."

The Doctor was waiting only a few paces away and as they finally turned away from the sights and to the Doctor, Amy suddenly said in shock: "I've been dead for centuries."

"Really, Amy?" Lily asked as she wrinkled her nose while the Doctor said flatly, leaning in close to Amy with a deep frown: "Oh, lovely. You're a cheery one."

"Never mind dead," he placed his arms around the girls, pushing them forward and said as he walked between them: "look at this place. Isn't it wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Amy asked while Lily looked around with great interest.

"Come on," The Doctor encouraged, "use your eyes. Notice everything. What's wrong with this picture?"

Lily glanced around and then at the floor while Amy looked around randomly and asked: "Is it…" she spotted people on little carriages, "the bicycles? Bit unusual on a spaceship, bicycles."

"Says the girl in the nightie." The Doctor pointed out with an amused smile and Lily giggled as Amy said in horror: "Oh my God, I'm in my nightie."

She looked down at herself, dressed in her nightie, sneakers and dressing gown.

"And Lily's in her pajamas, but you don't hear her complaining." The Doctor said dismissively as he gestured at Lily dressed in a tank top, boy shorts, and also in her dressing gown and sneakers.

The Doctor added impatiently: "Now, come on, look around you. Actually look."

Amy looked up at the sky as the computerized voice said: "London Market is a crime-free zone."

Lily meanwhile continued to stare down at their feet with a frown, but she became distracted as the Doctor started to rattle off: "Life on a giant starship. Back to basics. Bicycles, washing lines, wind-up street lamps. But," he pulled the girls closer as he said: "look closer. Secrets and shadows, lives led in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. A police state. Excuse me."

He suddenly dashed off, going to a table where a couple was sitting with glasses of water. Lily raised a brow as the Doctor rudely took a glass from the table, but she was also interested in what his experiment would yield so she stayed quiet.

"What are you doing?" The man asked the Doctor, but the Doctor ignored him.

The Doctor examined the glass intently before placing it on the floor, watching it for a moment. Amy stared in confusion while Lily looked on with a puzzled frown as she stared at the still water.

"It's not moving…" She murmured and Amy glanced at her but they were distracted as the Doctor lifted his head.

The Doctor quickly looked back at the couple he'd stolen the glass from, murmuring: "Sorry."

He placed the glass back on their table for them as he said quickly: "Checking all the water in this area. There's an escaped fish."

He tapped his nose while Lily snorted from behind him and Amy just looked bewildered. The Doctor turned to the girls again as he asked: "Where was I?"

"Escaped fish? Really?" Lily asked with a laugh, and he grinned.

Amy meanwhile asked in confusion: "Why did you just do that with the water?"

"Because-" Lily began but the Doctor said distractedly: "Don't know. I think a lot. It's hard to keep track. Now, police state."

He suddenly returned to what he'd been rambling on about before as he asked: "Do you see it yet?"

"Where?" Amy asked, looking around and Lily pointed.

The Doctor nodded at her as he agreed: "There."

Amy looked at where the pair were looking, and she saw the same little girl from before, weeping on a bench a few paces away. The Doctor walked over slowly, heading closer to the little girl as he stared intently. The girls followed him, Amy still bewildered while Lily was frowning, glancing at all the people moving around the area. The Doctor stopped a little further away, moving to sit on one of the other benches. The girls sat down on either side of him as he leant forward, resting his chin on his hands.

"One little girl crying. So?" Amy asked in exasperation, fed-up with not knowing.

"Silently." Lily said softly, and Amy peered around the Doctor to look at her friend as she asked: "What?"

The Doctor finally spoke as he elaborated for Lily in a low voice: "She's crying silently."

He leaned back in his seat as he explained quietly: "I mean, children cry because they want attention, because they're hurt or afraid. But when they cry silently, it's because they just can't stop. Any parent knows that."

Lily and Amy looked at him in surprise.

"Are you a parent?" Amy asked while Lily wondered the same thing.

The Doctor glanced at the redhead for a moment, before he said suddenly: "Hundreds of parents walking past who spot her and not one of them's asking her what's wrong, which means they already know, and it's something they don't talk about."

Lily pursed her lips, not missing that the Doctor had avoided answering Amy's question. But she let it go and Amy became distracted as the Doctor continued in his explanation: "Secrets. They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows, whatever they're afraid of, it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere. Police state."

The little girl had finally managed to stop her tears, and she got up and left. Amy, finally understanding, asked in concern: "Where'd she go?"

"Deck 207." The Doctor replied immediately. Amy and Lily turned to stare at him as he rattled off: "Apple Sesame block, dwelling 54A. You're looking for Mandy Tanner."

As Amy and Lily frowned at him in confusion, the Doctor added lightly: "Oh, er," he reached into his jacket and pulled out a colorful wallet, "this fell out of her pocket when I accidentally bumped into her."

He handed it to Amy, who began to examine it curiously, while Lily repeated with amusement: "'Accidentally'?"

He turned to her and said with a grin: "Took me four goes."

His gaze then moved to behind Lily and he turned back to look behind Amy as well. He added to the girls: "Ask her about those things."

Lily glanced around while Amy looked at the Doctor puzzled. He explained: "The smiling fellows in the booths. They're everywhere."

Lily was looking at the smiley things in question- they looked like those luck game booths with the top half of a plastic smiling man inside a red booth. She frowned at them while Amy said skeptically: "But they're just things."

"But, people are afraid of them." Lily pointed out.

Amy looked at her in surprise while the Doctor nodded, satisfied. He knew she would pick it up immediately- just like with the water.

"How do you know that?" Amy asked the two in surprise and the Doctor took over as he explained: "They're clean. Everything else here is all battered and filthy. Look at this place. But no one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Look."

Amy's mouth had fallen open as she realized he was right, and the Doctor ordered again: "Ask Mandy, why are people scared of the things in the booths?"

Amy frowned as she asked in confusion: "No, hang on. What do I do? I don't know what I'm doing here and I'm not even dressed."

She gestured down at herself and the Doctor retorted: "As I said before, so's Lily. Now, it's this or Leadworth. What do you think? Let's see."

He turned to face Amy right on as he asked mockingly: "What will Amy Pond choose?"

Amy pursed her lips before turning away sulkily and the Doctor grinned.

"Ha ha, gotcha." He teased, and Amy rolled her eyes while Lily jabbed the man's side with her elbow.

"Ow." He complained and Lily scolded: "You deserved it."

"You haven't changed a bit." He muttered and Lily frowned again in confusion.

But the Doctor didn't notice as he glanced down at his watch and ordered them: "Meet me back here in half an hour."

"What are you going to do?" Amy asked, still pouting irritably and the Doctor replied in the same tone, mocking her again: "What I always do. Stay out of trouble."

He stood up and paused. Lily suppressed a laugh as he added thoughtfully: "Badly."

Instead of walking around, he hopped over the side of the bench, as he began to leave. Amy and Lily exchanged looks before they whirled around and Amy called after him: "So is this how it works, Doctor?"

He turned back to them, and Lily supplied: "You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets…"

The Doctor smiled a little as Lily lifted her brows and Amy finished, her expression identical to Lily's: "Unless there's children crying?"

The Doctor grinned broadly and he replied smugly: "Yes."

The girls grinned at that and the Doctor turned and left, disappearing into the crowd. Lily turned to her friend as she said bemused: "What have we got ourselves into?"

"Trouble." Amy replied and the girls laughed as they began to walk off in search of deck 207.

As they walked, Amy asked suddenly: "How'd you know about those smiley things?"

Lily glanced at her in surprise as she replied: "I noticed them earlier but after the Doctor pointed them out it was obvious. They were so clean- it's what caught my eye the first time. London is _never_ squeaky-clean and those things basically shine."

Amy nodded thoughtfully as she said: "I forgot you're really clever, you're usually pretty normal."

"As opposed to now?" Lily teased and Amy laughed as she agreed: "Sure. Brainy girl on a flying country in space with a madman with a box. You're definitely the weird one."

They laughed again before Amy remembered something from earlier.

"And the water? Do you know what the Doctor was doing?" Amy asked curiously and Lily nodded, looking faintly surprised.

"Oh, that? The water wasn't moving." Lily explained.

She saw Amy's mystified look, so she added: "Sorry, I meant there were no vibrations. A spaceship this size, moving an entire country, it's bound to have a massive engine to keep it going, but then it should have vibrations. Even if it's faint, we should be able to feel something. But there isn't anything, and the still water proved it."

Amy's eyes widened as she realized Lily was right. The brunette went on as they almost reached deck 207: "I thought I was wrong at first- I mean, who knows maybe in the future they figured out a way to make quiet engines or something. So then I thought it must be the smiley things that was wrong. But the Doctor did that test with the water so I knew I was right. I'd bet anything that right now he's gone to the engine room to investigate."

Amy let all that sink in and as Lily finished the redhead turned to her friend and said with an utmost serious face: "You are incredible."

Lily blinked, startled, and she was unsure how to respond. But then as Amy's lips twitched as she fought back her laughter, Lily found herself suppressing a smile. And as the girls locked eyes, they burst out into peals of laughter, clutching each other as they laughed whole-heartedly, unaware that one of the smiley things had turned its head as it looked at them, revealing a frowning face.

* * *

The pair wandered around deck 207, looking around various corners and dark alleys in their quest to find the little girl. They'd just turned into an alley dimly lit with red lights when a voice said bluntly from the side: "You're following me."

They turned to see the little girl from before, except there was no sign of her tears now. Mandy pushed herself off the wall she'd been leaning on as she told them: "Saw you watching me at the marketplace."

She walked up to them and Amy held out the girl's wallet as she said lightly: "You dropped this."

"Yeah," Mandy retorted as she snatched it back, "when your friend kept bumping into me."

Lily smirked a little, both surprised and impressed, while the little girl stalked off without another word. She and Amy exchanged amused glances before walking after the girl. Mandy suddenly stopped and Lily paused, cocking her head curiously while Amy continued forward, asking: "What's that?"

Lily walked over to the barred off street as well, peering at the tent covering the entire middle section as Mandy explained: "There's a hole. We have to go back."

"A what? A hole?" Amy repeated in confusion while Lily peered at the yellow fence barring the street entrance and the white board with the words: 'keep out' printed on it in big black letters. Above the tent was a large billboard sign that read: "Magpie electricals".

Suddenly something flashed through Lily's mind and she clutched her head in pain. It was over in a second, and Lily blinked as the pain cleared. But she was puzzled as to where that had come from- it had felt almost like a migraine, onset by something… she glanced at the sign again. 'Magpie electricals.' _Magpie…_

Lily was pulled out of her thoughts as Mandy said incredulously: "Are you stupid? There's a hole in the road. We can't go that way."

She looked at the other two to see Amy had wandered over towards the fence. Mandy tried to stop her as she said quickly: "There's a travel pipe down by the airlocks, if you've got stamps."

Her voice trailed off a little as Amy pushed open the yellow fence and stepped through. Lily followed quickly while Mandy asked fearfully: "What are you doing?"

Amy turned back to the little girl as she said lightly: "Oh, don't mind me."

She leant in and whispered conspiratorially: "Never could resist a keep out sign."

Lily watched intently as Mandy's eyes slid fearfully over to another one of those smiley things sitting just down the street from where they stood. Amy had turned back to the tent as she scoffed: "What's through there? What's so scary about a hole? Something under the road?"

Amy sat down before the tent, which was locked with a large padlock. Lily wandered over as well while Mandy said shakily: "Nobody knows. We're not supposed to talk about it."

Amy and Lily turned to her quickly and Amy asked with interest: "About what?"

Mandy frowned a little, as though wondering where these two had come from, before she said as though it was obvious: "Below."

Her eyes flickered to the floor, and Lily raised her brows. Amy had deflated a little as she asked disappointedly: "And because you're not supposed to, you don't?"

She looked over at Lily, who reached into her hair. Pulling out a hairpin, she handed it to the expectant redhead. Amy took it before saying to Mandy: "Watch and learn."

Amy turned back to the lock, picking at it and Mandy said thoughtfully: "You sound Scottish."

"I am Scottish." Amy replied defiantly as she jiggled the lock. "What's wrong with that? Scotland's got to be here somewhere."

"No." Mandy called back, and Lily glanced at the girl. Mandy explained: "They wanted their own ship."

Lily and Amy grinned, and Amy said appreciatively: "Hmm. Good for them. Nothing changes."

Mandy turned to look at Lily, and she asked confusedly: "But you don't sound Scottish."

"Because I'm not Scottish." Lily replied with a grin.

Mandy's brows furrowed in confusion as she asked: "So, how did you get here?

"Oh, just passing through, you know, with a guy." Amy replied airily and Lily grinned. _A guy indeed_. She thought with amusement. _More like a time-travelling alien_.

"Your boyfriend?" Mandy asked and Lily looked over in surprise at the question.

"No…" Amy began before trailing off thoughtfully. Mandy turned to look at Lily.

"Your boyfriend, then?" She asked and Lily looked vaguely alarmed as she replied quickly: "No!"

"Huh. He looked into you, though." Mandy told her and Lily was becoming vaguely disturbed as she retorted: "No, he's not. We're not like that."

Mandy raised her brows at the her, but they were thankfully interrupted as Amy whispered quietly: "Oh."

Lily glanced down, thankful for the distraction, and saw Amy's eyes had unfocused a little.

"What?" Mandy asked from beside the fence and Amy said quickly: "Nothing. It's just…" she glanced back at Mandy as she admitted in a small voice: "I'm getting married. Funny how things slip your mind."

"Married?" Mandy asked incredulously, and Amy replied: "Yeah, shut up, married."

She took a deep breath, and Lily could hear the wedding nerves as Amy looked up at her with wide, almost frightened eyes and said: "Really, actually married."

She paused and looked away as she muttered: "Almost definitely."

Lily's brows shot up at that, but Amy had turned back to the lock while Mandy asked curiously: "When?"

Amy and Lily paused and Amy said as she thought about it: "Well, it's kind of weird. A long time ago tomorrow morning."

She paused and then asked softly: "I wonder what I did?"

"The right thing." Lily replied lightly, but seriously. Amy glanced at her with a thoughtful expression, although there was still a hint of fear in her eyes.

But then the lock clicked open at last and Amy glanced down at it, crowing triumphantly: "Hey, hey. Result!"

She turned back and called at Mandy: "Coming?"

"No!" Mandy cried back defiantly, but she'd flinched in almost tangible fear.

"Suit yourself." Amy replied with a shrug, moving to open the tent. Lily glanced back to see Mandy staring terrified at where the smiley thing would be.

But as she decided to follow Amy, Mandy cried after them shakily: "Stop! You mustn't do that!"

Lily paused again, glancing back at the little girl. She then turned back to Amy and she whispered: "Hang on, I'm going to ask her about those smiley things."

Amy nodded.

"I'll just go on ahead." Amy replied and Lily paused, before nodding. She didn't want Amy to go alone, but there would be no stopping her once she'd made up her mind. And Lily would be there soon, she just wanted to know more about what it was exactly about the smiley things that made people so scared.

*A/N I've had people asking why the Doctor didn't know why Lily couldn't remember him, so I would like to clear this up: the Doctor remembers erasing her memory, but her memories should have been restored when exposed to him again (remember in the show, he warned that Donna must never remember him?). So now he wonders why even after seeing the Tardis, she can't remember him. Just to clear that up!


	5. 2-2 Protest

Lily walked over to Mandy, bending down a little so that she was eye-level with the girl as she asked quietly: "Mandy, can you tell me about those smiling things? Why are you so scared of them?"

Mandy's eyes widened as she asked fearfully: "Don't you know about the Smilers?"

She glanced over at the Smiler from earlier, and Lily turned to look too. Except now she saw the smiling face had become a horrific scowl, its eyes red and its teeth bared. Lily jumped a little, and turned to Mandy urgently.

"Mandy, what is that?" She asked, when suddenly Mandy pulled her away, running to hide behind a corner of the street.

"Mandy?" Lily asked just as she heard Amy shriek.

"A-!" Lily began, starting to peer around, but Mandy clamped her mouth shut, dragging Lily down to her height as she whispered: "No, you mustn't make a sound!"

Lily shrugged the girl off, and slowly peered around the corner to see Amy backing out of the tent on her hands and knees, panting a little. But Lily was alarmed to see the circle of men dressed in black cloaks surrounding Amy, and her eyes widened as one of them pointed their ring at the redhead. It sprayed something at Amy's face, and Amy passed out cold onto the ground.

"Amy." Lily whispered, watching as the men carried her off somewhere.

"Come on." Lily urged, dragging Mandy with her as she followed the men quickly but quietly. They carried the Scottish girl off onto a larger street and Lily watched with a frown as they took her into a cubicle of sorts.

She turned to Mandy quickly and asked urgently: "What is that? Where've they taken her."

"It's a voting cubicle." Mandy explained and Lily frowned.

"Voting for what?" She asked, and Mandy shrugged.

"I'm not sure." She admitted. "But everyone goes to vote once they've reached sixteen. It's perfectly safe."

"If it's perfectly safe, then why was Amy taken there?" Lily wondered and Mandy looked at her like she was daft.

"Probably to make her forget what she saw." Mandy explained, and Lily's frown deepened.

"How is that safe?" She demanded and Mandy looked surprised as she replied: "It is. Everyone's done it- they all choose to forget what they saw in the vote and they carry on with their lives."

Lily glanced around at the street, taking in the people wandering about as they went about their daily business. But she saw the Smilers, the fear that surrounded the blasted things, and the way the adults had avoided Mandy earlier. The fear was palpable, and although she didn't know what was causing it, she knew this wasn't the way she'd want to live.

"Come on." Lily said determinedly as she turned and walked off again.

"Where're we going?" Mandy asked as she followed, and Lily said determinedly: "To find the Doctor."

She turned to Mandy and asked in a serious voice: "Can you show me to the engine room?"

* * *

They had just reached the end of the street when the Doctor burst out from the corner, running right into Lily. He quickly grabbed her, preventing her from toppling over from the impact.

"Doctor!" Lily gasped as he asked in confusion: "Lily?"

The Doctor glanced down and saw Mandy beside Lily and added in confusion: "And Mandy?"

Mandy raised a brow, not surprised he would know her name, while Lily said quickly: "They took Amy, we have to get to her."

The Doctor nodded, showing them a small screen that was a detector of some sort.

"I know- someone gave me this, saying it would show me the way to my 'friend'." He explained and Lily frowned, asking: "Who?"

The Doctor shrugged as he led them all back down the street, back towards Amy, as he explained: "I don't know. It was a woman, but she was wearing a cloak and hiding behind a white mask that covered her entire face."

Lily nodded thoughtfully, before adding as they rushed down the street: "And the engine? Did you check that?"

The Doctor looked a little surprised but he grinned immediately.

"I should've known you'd work it all out." He said gleefully. Lily blinked in surprise but the Doctor went on: "No engine. And I don't mean not working; it's not there. The woman who found me was also investigating I think, because she asked me for help. Called it the 'impossible truth'."

Lily frowned as she wondered: "Who could she be? And what does that mean, no engine?"

The Doctor shrugged but he said firmly: "We'll figure it out. Always do."

Lily cocked her head a little. While his last sentence could have referred to himself, something told Lily the Doctor had meant the two of them together. _Why does it feel like he knows me? Why does it feel like there's something I'm missing?_

Lily shook herself out of her thoughts as they arrived at the voting cubicle once more, pushing the thoughts aside for now. She'd deal with them later; for now, she was anxious about the safety of her friend. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and pointed it at the door.

"It's different from before." Lily said in surprise as she took in the green-tipped tool, and the Doctor glanced at her in equal surprise.

"You remember it?" He asked suddenly focusing on her intensely.

Lily frowned as she snapped: "It may have been two years but my memory's pretty good. I saw it when before it burnt up. It was blue."

The Doctor seemed to deflate a little as he turned back to the door, muttering: "Right. Sorry, never mind."

Lily continued to frown- this sort of thing seemed to be happening regularly; the Doctor asking questions as though… she was broken from her thoughts again as the door clicked open, and the Doctor dashed inside. Lily followed quickly, leaving Mandy by the door as she ran in, but both she and the Doctor stopped as they saw Amy standing before four screens on the wall with three large buttons on a panel below the screens: two round ones that read 'Protest' and 'Forget' and a larger square one in the middle that read 'Record.' On the opposite side of the room sat a Smiler.

On the screens was a recording of Amy, crying as she begged herself: "Listen to me. This isn't a trick. This is for real."

"Amy?" The Doctor asked in concern as the Amy on screen continued: "You've got to," Amy switched the recording off just as it finished, "find the Doctor."

Lily stepped forward in concern while the Doctor asked the redhead quietly: "What have you done?"

Amy was looking at them with wide eyes and Lily carefully walked up to wipe away the remains of her tear-tracks. Amy was looking both guilty and confused, unsure of what had happened and why she'd acted as she had. The Doctor stepped in just as Lily hugged her friend, Amy wrapping her arms around her friend tightly, shaken by her choice and her message. The Doctor ignored them as he pulled Amy's chair over, standing on it to sonic a device that looked like a lamp hanging from the ceiling.

Amy let go of Lily, although the brunette kept close to her friend, as the Doctor clicked his screwdriver, murmuring: "Yeah, your basic memory wipe job. Must have erased about twenty minutes."

"But why would I choose to forget?" Amy asked, puzzled, as the Doctor hopped down from the chair and began to bend over the buttons.

They all looked over as Mandy explained: "Because everyone does. Everyone chooses the Forget button."

Lily frowned as she murmured: "You've said that before."

The Doctor meanwhile walked over and bent down to the girl's eye level as he asked: "Did you?"

Mandy gave him an odd look as she replied slowly: "I'm not eligible to vote yet. I'm twelve. Any time after you're sixteen, you're allowed to the see the film and make your choice. And then once every five years."

Lily frowned while the Doctor said thoughtfully: "And once every five years, everyone chooses to forget what they've learned. Democracy in action."

He turned and walked back over to the screens while Mandy asked incredulously: "How do you not know about this? Lily said she's not Scottish, but are you Scottish? Are you from Scotland, that's why you don't know?"

"Oh, I'm way worse than Scottish." The Doctor said with a small laugh, and he explained as he gestured at the screen: "I can't even see the movie. Won't play for me."

Amy pursed her lips as she said confusedly: "It played for me."

"Well, the difference being the computer doesn't accept me as human." The Doctor explained as he tried to get it to work somehow.

"Why not?" Amy asked puzzled, and he turned to give her a 'Really?' look. Amy quickly added defensively: "You look human."

She walked away from Lily and over to the Doctor, who scoffed as he corrected: "No, you look Time Lord. We came first."

He grinned in childish triumph and Lily rolled her eyes a little. Amy asked curiously as Lily walked up: "So there are other Time Lords, yeah?"

At those words, Lily suddenly felt that pain in her head again. She clutched her head, wincing a little as something dislodged in her mind. " _There's no one else. Regenerate!"_ Lily clutched her head as a man's agonizing scream yelled: _"No!"_

Lily reeled a little, almost missing the Doctor's words as he replied to Amy flatly: "No. There were, but there aren't."

He'd paused and Lily blinked back into the present situation as he said slowly: "Just me now. Long story. There was a bad day."

His voice turned darker as he said, staring Amy right in the eye: "Bad stuff happened. And you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever."

Amy blinked, looking a little guilty, as the Doctor continued: "Because this is what I do," he glanced back at Lily who blinked at him as she focused back on him. He didn't notice as he continued, "every time, every day, every second."

He stepped back a little and he rubbed his hands.

"This." He raised his hand and he murmured: "Hold tight. We're bringing down the government."

With that he lifted his hand and slammed it down on the 'Protest' button. They all glanced over as the door to the cubicle slammed shut, locking Mandy out and trapping the three inside. Lily whipped her head around as she heard a clicking sound behind them, and they all turned to see the Smiler turning into the Scowler, its head making the clicking noise as it turned slowly. The Doctor glanced down and then pulled the girls back with him as the floor began to slide open, revealing a long drop through a red-lit tunnel.

"Say wheee!" The Doctor shouted excitedly, and the girls stared at him.

"You are a madman." Lily declared as Amy screamed: "Ahhhhh!"

The Doctor grinned at them both as the floor continued to open up below them. He suddenly wrapped his arms around Lily, pulling her in protectively as they ran out of floor space. Lily barely had time to glance down at his hands in surprise before all three of them fell through the hole, sliding down into the 'Below.'

The Doctor yelled as they slid, and Lily shrieked in a mix of fear and adrenaline-induced excitement. Eventually, the pair landed with a small splash and Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust. It smelled like a sewer and while she was somewhat safer since she'd landed on the Doctor, she could see wet bits of waste all around them.

The Doctor quickly stood up, picking Lily up with him and moving aside as Amy came shrieking in. Amy landed with her own squelching sound, and Lily trudged over to help her up as the Doctor pulled out his sonic and began to beam it around the place.

"Ugh." Amy groaned as she felt about at her wet state, and Lily smiled sympathetically while the Doctor laughed: "High speed air cannon. Lousy way to travel."

"Where are we?" Amy moaned in disgust as Lily pulled her up, both of them wrinkling their noses.

"600 feet down, 20 miles laterally, puts us at the heart of the ship. I'd say," the Doctor sniffed, "Lancashire. What's this then, a cave? Can't be a cave. Looks like a cave."

He continued to point his sonic around as he rambled, and Amy groaned: "It's a rubbish dump," she picked off a wet piece of vegetable from her shoulder "and it's minging!"

She threw the rubbish at the Doctor spitefully, but he dodged it. Only to bend down and pick up his own slimy piece of rubbish as he pointed out: "Yes, but only food refuse."

He held it to his nose, sniffing it before adding: "Organic, coming through feeder tubes from all over the ship."

Amy and Lily both bent down, also examining the waste and they realized he was right.

"How come you're not all wet and disgusting?" Amy asked Lily, and she shrugged as she replied: "I landed on the Doctor."

"Lucky you." Amy commented as she pushed some of her slimy hair out of her face.

She then added as she turned to the Doctor: "The floor's all squidgy, like a water bed."

The Doctor nodded distractedly as he asked: "But feeding what, though?"

Amy went on: "It's sort of rubbery, feel it."

She demonstrated as she touched the floor. Lily paled as she heard a something.

"Wet and slimy." Amy finished. The Doctor had also stood up, just as they heard an animalistic rumble. Lily's face had whitened and both she and Amy looked up in panic at the Doctor as he glanced down.

"Er," he said in a sheepish and somewhat panicked voice, "it's not a floor, it's a… So."

He tried to avoid saying the obvious but Amy stood up and got up right in his face as she demanded: "It's a what?"

Lily also stood up, already having a feeling where this was going as the Doctor said in a brighter tone, trying to lighten the mood: "The next word is kind of a scary word."

He took each of their hands as he added: "You probably want to take a moment, get yourself in a calm place. Go omm."

He demonstrated and Amy copied, confused: "Omm."

Lily was just pale and silent, hoping against hope that she was wrong. But the Doctor said, slowly and distinctly: "It's a tongue."

Amy paused, and she repeated flatly: "A tongue?"

"A tongue." The Doctor said cheerily. "A great big tongue."

"I thought you were going to say stomach." Lily sighed in some relief, although her own stomach turned at the thought of being in some animal's mouth. And it wasn't like the tongue was much better than the stomach anyway, when it came right down to it.

"See? Bright side of things." The Doctor nodded at Lily but Amy continued, slowly panicking as the shock wore off: "This is a mouth. This whole place is a mouth? We're in a mouth?"

"Yes, yes, yes." The Doctor replied airily. "But on the plus side, roomy."

"How do we get out?" Amy cried, while Lily pointed out: "Not a plus side, because that just means this thing has to be huge!"

The Doctor paused and he wondered: "How big is this beastie?"

He pulled out his sonic again, leaving Lily to deal with the hysterical Amy as he looked around: "It's gorgeous. Blimey, if this is just the mouth, I'd love to see the stomach."

The monster groaned at that moment, and he whipped around with wide eyes.

"Though not right now." He said quickly, and Lily snapped: "Try ever."

He'd wandered back towards them and Amy demanded frantically: "Doctor, how do we get out?"

"Okay," the Doctor began slowly as he squelched about and pointed his sonic around, "it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so the normal entrance is," he stopped as he walked over to where his sonic had taken him and Lily's face fell as she saw what he'd seen. He murmured, "closed for business."

The three of them stared at the wall of giant teeth, clenched shut. Lily shuddered a little at the size and pointedness of the teeth.

"Oh, lord." She moaned, and the Doctor gripped her hand. She clutched it tightly, clinging to his arm as she tried not to move.

Unfortunately, Amy moved, walking towards the teeth as she said determinedly: "We could try, though."

"No, stop, don't move." The Doctor cried as the ground began to shake and move.

Amy stumbled over and the Doctor held Lily tightly to keep her upright as he corrected: "Too late. It's started."

"What has?" Amy asked as she struggled to keep her balance.

"Swallow reflex." The Doctor and Lily shouted, just as the ground shook again, making them all topple to the ground with shrieks. The Doctor held Lily close to him as they tried to get back onto their feet and he pointed his sonic at the back of the beast's mouth.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked in alarm and Amy cried: "What's he doing?"

"I'm vibrating the chemo-receptors." He replied and Amy shouted in confusion: "Chemo-what?"

They all tumbled to the ground again and Lily paled as the Doctor elaborated: "The eject button."

"Oh, God!" Lily gasped while Amy demanded: "How does a mouth have an eject button?"

"Think about it!" The Doctor shouted back, and they all managed to get back onto their feet just as the beast groaned again. Amy's face whitened as she saw what the Doctor meant. Lily clutched the Doctor's hand as the three stood together and saw the wave of vomit heading their way.

Amy's mouth had fallen open in horror and the Doctor said cheerily: "Right, then." He fixed his bowtie. "This isn't going to be big on dignity."

He then reached over and pulled Lily in close, and she clung to him in terror.

"Geronimo!" He shouted and Amy screamed while Lily clutched the Doctor tightly as the wave came closer, before they were all thrown off their feet while there was an almighty groan from the beast as it hurled.

* * *

Amy and Lily coughed a little as they woke up, blinking blearily. Lily clutched her head as the world swam back into view and she heard the Doctor say: "There's nothing broken," she lifted her head and saw the Doctor standing beside the only door to the room they were in, "there's no sign of concussion and yes," he turned to look at the girls, "you are covered in sick."

Lily wrinkled her nose, glancing down at her ruined pajamas and taking in the state of her hair as the Doctor returned to sonicing the door. Amy asked dazedly: "Where are we?"

"Overspill pipe, at a guess." The Doctor replied as he continued to work at the door.

Lily groaned as she pushed herself to her feet, glancing around to see they were indeed standing in a large pipe of some sort, the only light hanging right above the door and casting shadows down the rest of the tunnel. Amy groaned too as she got up, before moaning digustedly: "Oh, God, it stinks."

"Oh, that's not the pipe." The Doctor replied lightly and Lily groaned again.

"Oh." Amy muttered as she realized what the Doctor meant. Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust as Amy leaned down and sniffed her shoulder.

"Phew." She gagged and Lily said in a mix of amusement and disgust: "What did you expect?"

Amy shrugged and then turned to the Doctor as she asked: "Can we get out?"

The Doctor turned back to them, giving up with the door as he explained: "One door, one door switch, one condition. We forget everything we saw."

He nodded at the button that was attached to the door. 'Forget'. Lily frowned at it as the Doctor asked sarcastically: "Look familiar?"

"And I'm assuming we can't just have one person press it and forget so the rest of us can get out." Lily sighed, and the Doctor nodded.

He added lightly: "That's also only the carrot."

The lights switched on as he spoke, and Lily glanced around to see the other side of the tunnel light up, revealing two Smilers sitting in their booths. The Doctor had also looked around and he proclaimed: "Oooh, here's the stick."

He began to walk down the tunnel towards the Smilers, the two girls following behind quickly as he said calmly to the Smilers: "There's a creature living in the heart of this ship. What's it doing there?"

He stopped before the Smilers just as they both turned their heads, revealing their frowning faces. The Doctor said impatiently: "No, that's not going to work on me, so come on. Big old beast below decks, and everyone who protests gets shoved down its throat. Is that how it works?"

He waited but the frowning faces simply swiveled again, making those clicking sounds as they turned to reveal the scowling face with its bared teeth. The Doctor sighed as he said irritably: "Oh, stop it. I'm not leaving and I'm not forgetting, and what are you fellows going to do about it?"

He lifted his brows as he taunted: "Stick out your tongues, huh?"

Lily's eyes widened as the booths opened, and Amy gasped while the Doctor made a 'Oh.' face.

"Doctor." Lily said urgently and he grabbed her, immediately backing away with Amy following quickly.

"Doctor?" Amy asked quickly as the Scowlers stood up and started to walk towards them. Suddenly the door opened behind them, and Amy and Lily gasped as they turned to see a dark-skinned woman in a red cloak pointing a gun at the Scowlers.

They quickly moved out of the way, Amy to one side of the tunnel and the Doctor and Lily to the other as the woman fired two shots at the Scowlers, making them fall to the ground. The three leaned against the tunnel walls, chests heaving as the adrenaline pumped through their veins while the strange woman calmly flicked her gun before she holstered it.

"Look who it is." The Doctor said as his breathing slowed down.

He nodded at the woman as he commented: "You look a lot better without your mask."

The woman smiled as she turned to look at them.

"You must be Lily." She commented as she walked over to the girl.

"Er, hi." Lily said in confusion and the woman smiled as she introduced: "Liz. Liz Ten. Heard a lot about you growing up. The Doctor's companion."

Both the Doctor and Lily frowned, although for different reasons.

"His companion?" She asked, puzzled while the Doctor added: "'Growing up'?"

Liz, however, had turned to Amy as she greeted: "And you must be Amy."

"Hi." Amy said slowly as she glanced over at Lily and the Doctor, also puzzled.

"Yuck." Liz murmured as she glanced over Amy. "Lovely hair, Amy. Shame about the sick."

Liz walked back to the door as Amy glanced down at herself, but Liz continued unperturbed: "You know Mandy, yeah?"

Lily was surprised to see the little girl as Liz placed an arm around her.

"She's very brave." Liz added proudly, and Lily smiled, nodding, while Mandy looked a little surprised but pleased.

Unfortunately, the Doctor cut in as he asked, frowning at Liz: "How did you find us?"

"Stuck my gizmo on you." Liz replied lightly, tossing a device to the Doctor.

He caught it, his frown deepening as he looked down at it. Liz continued: "Been listening in. Nice moves on the hurl escape."

She glanced at the group in general before turning her attention back to the Doctor as she asked: "So, what's the big fella doing here?"

The Doctor glanced at her as he replied flatly: "You're over sixteen, you've voted. Whatever this is," he glanced around the tunnel before he turned his accusing gaze back at Liz, "you've chosen to forget about it."

Liz shook her head as she replied firmly: "No. Never forgot, never voted, not technically a British subject."

Lily raised her brows in surprise, as did the Doctor who asked: "Then who and what are you, and how do you know me?"

He stared at her intently but Liz just smiled as she replied in amusement: "You're a bit hard to miss, love."

She began to list: "Mysterious stranger, M.O.," the Doctor smirked a little as he turned away, "consistent with higher alien intelligence," Liz glanced up, "hair of an idiot."

The Doctor turned back indignantly to the woman while Lily snorted in amusement. He wagged a finger at Liz, but glanced at Lily when she made a noise. She smiled as he sheepishly ruffled his hair, pouting a little. Liz continued: "I've been brought up on the stories."

She made a sigh of almost admiration before she added as she looked at the girls: "My whole family was."

"Your family?" The Doctor asked skeptically and Liz turned back to him, but they all paused as there was a metallic creaking sound.

They glanced back to see the Scowlers beginning to move again, and Liz said sharply: "They're repairing. Doesn't take them long. Let's move."

She quickly led them out the door, and Lily ushered Mandy after the strange woman. Amy followed, and the Doctor pushed Lily ahead of him, bringing up the rear. As they walked through the basement, Liz began to list in her explanation: "The Doctor. Old drinking buddy of Henry Twelve. Tea and scones with Liz Two."

The Doctor's brows furrowed as he tried to work out who she was. Lily was working it out, when Liz said something that shocked her to the core.

"Vicky was a bit on the fence about you, weren't she? Knighted and exiled you on the same day. Although she clearly favored Lily- only one she ever had something nice to say about."

Lily stared. _What?_. Liz continued, unaware of Lily's shock as she teased the Doctor: "And so much for the Virgin Queen, you bad, bad boy."

And for some reason, Lily's heart clenched at those words. As she blinked in surprise, the Doctor's eyes widened as he realized who this woman was.

"Liz Ten." He said in awe, and Liz nodded as she replied: "Liz Ten, yeah. Elizabeth the Tenth. And down!" She suddenly ordered sharply as she turned, pulling out her gun again.

The Doctor pulled Lily down with him quickly as everyone ducked and Liz fired over their heads at the Scowlers that had appeared behind them. She grinned in satisfaction as the Scowlers fell to the ground, before looking down at the group and saying proudly: "I'm the bloody Queen, mate. Basically," she lifted her gun in her hand and smirked, "I rule."


	6. 2-3 The Impossible Truth

They hurried into a side corridor, the Doctor leading now as Liz brought up the rear. The Doctor paused at a barred entrance to a tunnel and Lily stared as well as it clanged. Liz called ahead: "There's a high-speed Vator through there."

She saw what they were looking at and said ominously: "Oh, yeah. There's these things."

The whole group stared at the tentacles that were hitting against the metal bars, creating the clanging sound. The Doctor pulled out his sonic as Liz asked: "Any ideas?"

"Doctor, I saw one of these up top." Amy interjected. "There was a hole in the road, like it had burst through like a root."

"Exactly like a root." The Doctor explained as he examined the readings on his sonic. He looked back at the tentacles as he murmured: "It's all one creature, the same one we were inside, reaching out. It must be growing through the mechanisms of the entire ship."

He trailed off a little as he stared at the tentacles.

"What," Liz asked him, puzzled, "like an infestation?"

The Doctor nodded slightly and Liz said darkly: "Someone's helping it. Feeding it. Feeding my subjects to it."

She spat angrily as she pushed past and walked on down the corridor.

"Come on. Got to keep moving." She called back to them, still angry and Mandy and Amy followed. Lily paused as the Doctor didn't move, and Amy stopped too when she saw her friends hadn't come after them. She turned back just as Lily touched the Doctor's arm gently.

"Doctor?" She asked, and he sighed.

"Lily, what does this look like to you?" He asked quietly, and Lily turned to look at the tentacles as they rammed against the bars desperately. She frowned as it dawned on her.

"It looks… like its trying to break free." She said slowly. "Like… its desperately trying to break out of something…"

He nodded as Amy began to walk over. Lily asked quietly, confused: "But why? It's being fed, and these bars aren't exactly holding it in."

The Doctor didn't reply and Amy asked as she arrived: "Lily? Doctor?"

Lily looked at her friend, thoughtful, while the Doctor murmured: "Oh, Lily. Amy."

Lily's heart clenched as the Doctor leaned against the bars, getting closer to the tentacles. He murmured sadly: "We should never have come here."

He then turned to leave. Lily followed, asking quietly: "Doctor, is that what I think it is?"

He nodded grimly and Lily's face fell.

"What are we going to do?" She asked quietly, and the Doctor replied grimly: "We need to first find out why. And then find a way to put an end to this."

Lily nodded slowly, before noticing Amy hadn't come with them. She turned back to see the redhead spacing out by the bars.

"Amy?" She called and the redhead gave a start.

"I, I'm coming." Amy called and Lily nodded, waiting patiently for her friend. Amy walked over quickly and the pair followed the others, both absorbed in their thoughts. Lily was shaken by the new knowledge she'd discovered, and a large part of her hoped she and the Doctor were wrong.

Amy was thinking about what she'd said in the video recording to herself. She remembered how her self before she chose to forget whatever she'd seen had begged to the camera, crying tearfully. _"Don't let him investigate. Stop him. Take Lily and go. Do whatever you have to, just please, please get the Doctor and Lily off this ship."_

* * *

They walked into the state apartment Liz lived in, and Lily was surprised to see the floor on one side of the room covered in various glasses of different sizes and shaped but all filled with still liquid. Liz sat down on her bed, leaning back heavily while Lily stood by the foot of the bed. Mandy and Amy were on the other side of the room, Amy trying to clean up some of the mess now that most of it had dried.

The Doctor walked over to the glass-covered floor and carefully weaved his way through them as he examined them. He frowned down at them and then he looked up as he asked Liz curiously: "Why all the glasses?"

Liz replied darkly: "To remind me every single day that my government is up to something, and it's my duty to find out what."

She watched the Doctor carefully as he walked back out, noticing something else. The Doctor bent down and picked up Liz's white mask, and held it out for inspection.

"A queen going undercover to investigate her own kingdom?" The Doctor said softly, before holding out the mask to Lily.

She took it in surprise and glanced over it curiously while Liz replied to the Doctor sharply: "Secrets are being kept from me. I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this."

Lily frowned as she heard Liz's words and compared it to the mask. Liz continued, unaware: "My entire reign. And you've achieved more in one afternoon."

She nodded at the Doctor who was pacing before the foot of her bed. He was looking down at the ground pensively, deep in thought. He slowed down as he asked slowly: "How old were you when you came to the throne?"

"Forty. Why?" Liz asked as the Doctor peered over at the mask in Lily's hands again.

Lily's frown deepened and she struggled to put the pieces together while Amy turned and asked incredulously: "What, you're fifty now? No way."

She walked over, Mandy following while Liz murmured somewhat sheepishly: "Yeah, they slowed my body clock."

Amy and Mandy sat down by the bed, beside Lily as the Doctor took the mask back from the brunette and began to pace again. Liz continued: "Keeps me looking like the stamps."

The Doctor interrupted as he lifted the mask to Liz's face, matching them up as he asked: "And you always wear this in public?"

He sat down beside Liz, staring at her intently and she snapped: "Undercover's not easy when you're me. The autographs, the bunting."

The Doctor examined her and then the mask, and he muttered: "Air-balanced porcelain."

He paused as it finally clicked for him. He lifted his head as he said slowly: "Stays on by itself, because it's perfectly sculpted to your face."

Lily's face whitened and she breathed: "Oh…"

Liz frowned, glancing between them as she asked: "Yeah? So what?"

"Oh, Liz. So everything." The Doctor said darkly.

Liz's eyes narrowed at him as she struggled to follow. Amy leaned over to Lily and asked: "What is it?"

"The mask…" Lily began, choking a little but they were interrupted as the curtains to the apartment were drawn and the group of cloaked men from before entered.

"What are you doing?" Liz asked. The Doctor quickly stood up and walked over to the figures, his face darkening while Liz snarled: "How dare you come in here?"

Lily walked over to the Doctor's side, grabbing the side of his jacket as both Amy stood up and walked closer as well. One of the men said calmly: "Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK. You will come with us now."

He looked at Liz, whose face set angrily. She got up and walked over, saying hotly: "Why would I do that?"

The man's head clinked and Lily gasped as it turned to reveal a Scowler's head on the other side. All the other men's heads also changed, and Lily's face became a sorrowful frown. The Doctor smiled mirthlessly while Amy asked in disbelief: "How can they be Smilers?"

"Half Smiler, half human." The Doctor explained in a low voice.

Liz leaned in and snarled at the first man-Smiler: "Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen."

The Doctor glanced over at her as she demanded: "On whose authority is this done?"

"The highest authority, Ma'am." The man-Smiler answered. Lily closed her eyes, her grip on the Doctor's jacket tightening.

He reached down and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently as Liz snapped back: "I am the highest authority."

"Yes, ma'am." The man-Smiler agreed and Liz pulled back a little, surprised. The man-Smiler continued: "You must go now, Ma'am."

"Where?" Liz demanded, and Lily gripped the Doctor's hand as the man-Smiler replied: "The Tower, Ma'am."

* * *

The group was lead into the London Tower by the man-Smiler, Amy and Mandy in the front, and Liz at the back. Lily and the Doctor walked in the middle, Lily still clutching the Doctor's hand. She was incredibly worried about what might be awaiting them, and it somehow calmed her to have the Doctor's warm hand grip hers reassuringly.

As they walked in, Lily frowned a little as she heard what sounded like jolts of electricity being shot. Amy suddenly bent over a grating and called: "Doctor."

They peered down to see tentacles flailing around underneath the grating and Lily's face whitened.

"Where are we?" Amy demanded shakily.

The Doctor pulled away, walking further into the Tower-room and taking Lily with him as he explained in a forced light tone: "The lowest point of Starship UK."

He let go of Lily's hand to spin around as he said with a fake dramatic flare: "The dungeon."

His lips folded into an angry line, and Lily reached out for his hand again, both for comfort and to soothe him. He glanced at her and his gaze softened just a little as he took in her pale countenance, but it darkened again as they heard a man call to Liz: "Ma'am."

The Doctor stopped walking as the elderly man dressed in a black cloak walked towards the Queen, passing the pair.

"Hawthorne." Liz said coldly. "So this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do."

She lifted her brows pointedly as she got up into the old man's face angrily. Lily and the Doctor, however, were distracted by movement at the other side of the room.

"There's children down here." The Doctor interrupted Liz, coming up to Hawthorne.

As the group of children walked passed them, the Doctor questioned: "What's all that about?"

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast." Hawthorne explained in a flat, emotionless voice. "For some reason, it won't eat the children."

They all watched the group of children file passed in a single line, all of them with their heads lowered in fear as Hawthorne added: "You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky."

He looked at the Doctor, glancing at Lily beside him as well. Lily's eyes narrowed angrily, while the Doctor's brows lifted.

"Yeah," he said lightly "look at us. Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky." He said sarcastically.

He continued as he looked about the roon: "Except it's not a torture chamber, is it?"

He let go of Lily to pace about the room as he added: "Well, except it is. Except it isn't."

The group followed the Doctor as he stopped beside a circular in the middle of the room, below a large electric node.

"Depends on your angle." He finished as he leaned over the railing surrounding the opening and Lily and Liz peered over to look. Lily blanched even further, if possible, as she finally understood. The final question answered.

The opening revealed the top of a pulsating brain, right below the giant electric node that was pointing down at it.

"What's that?" Liz asked as Amy and Mandy arrived to look as well.

The Doctor replied darkly: "Well, like I say, it depends on the angle. It's either the exposed pain centre of big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly."

Lily flinched as another electric beam was shot at the brain from the node above. Liz asked the Doctor: "Or?"

"Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator." The Doctor snapped and he lifted his head to stare at Liz.

"Starship UK's go faster button." He said derisively.

Liz frowned and she said flatly, looking up at the Doctor: "I don't understand."

Lily's blood had gone cold as the Doctor challenged darkly: "Don't you? Try to. Go on."

He walked over to the queen as he listed: "The spaceship that could never fly. No vibration on deck. This creature," he gestured down and Liz looked down again, brows furrowed, "this poor, trapped, terrified creature."

Liz began to understand as she glanced about. Amy seemed to realize as well as her face paled. The Doctor was now snarling as he tried to suppress his anger: "It's not infesting you, it's not invading, it's what you have instead of an engine."

He turned to Hawthorne as he added: "And this place down here is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, just to keep it moving."

Liz's face was horrified, and she seemed to stagger a little under the realization. Lily had her lips pursed in anger and sorrow for the poor creature. She'd known, but to have it all listed so flatly and to watch the electricity continue to beam down at regular intervals was hurting her to the core.

"Tell you what." The Doctor suddenly added and he glanced about the room.

He dashed over to the grating from earlier as he continued: "Normally, it's above the range of human hearing."

He lifted the grate and a tentacle stretched out. Amy gasped, worried as the tentacle swayed dangerously above the Doctor, but Lily was more concerned about what the Doctor was going to do. She wasn't sure, but his expression was so filled with anger and disgust that she was sure it wasn't going to end well. As they all watched in a mix of shock and apprehension, the Doctor pulled out his sonic and looked at Liz and Hawthorne coldly.

"This is the sound none of you wanted to hear." He said flatly before he pointed his sonic at the tentacle. As he did so, the tentacle swayed and suddenly they could all hear a deep roar of pain. But it morphed as the Doctor continued to point his sonic, increasing the frequency so that they could hear as the creature's sounds became a long single scream of complete agony and pain.

Lily's eyes filled with tears, and as the sound continued the tears spilled over. Amy, Mandy and Liz all flinched, stepping back as though the sound was hurting them physically- which, in some ways, it was. Hawthorne also began to wince while Liz bowed her head, and begged: "Stop it."

The Doctor's gaze never wavered as he glared at Liz, and his arm didn't lower. Amy whimpered: "Doctor."

He didn't move, but he glanced over at last as Lily begged softly: "Doctor, stop."

He took one look at her heart-broken expression and lowered his arm. Walking over quickly, he took her into his arms, and Lily buried her face into his chest, crying quietly. They all stood in silence for a moment, letting the shock and horror sink in.

Liz staggered a little as she walked forward, glaring at Hawthorne as she demanded quietly: "Who did this?"

Hawthorne lowered his eyes as he answered: "We act on instructions from the highest authority."

Lily whimpered and the Doctor held her tighter, while Liz scoffed a little as she said darkly: "I am the highest authority."

Hawthorne's lip twitched a little, as though into a grim smile. Liz saw it and her eyes narrowed. She ordered flatly: "The creature will be released, now."

When no-one moved she said angrily, tears threatening to fall: "I said now!"

The Doctor heaved a sigh and he pulled back from Lily. The brunette kept her head lowered, sniffling a little as the Doctor pulled out Liz's mask that he'd kept from earlier. Liz didn't notice as she demanded: "Is anyone listening to me?"

"Liz." The Doctor called at last, and she turned her head to him with a glare.

"Your mask." The Doctor held it up as explanation, as Lily wiped her eyes.

Liz paused, turning to him fully as she asked, puzzled: "What about my mask?"

The Doctor tossed it to her as he ordered quietly: "Look at it."

Liz did as she was told as Lily lifted her head at last. The Doctor walked over to Liz as he explained intently: "It's old. At least 200 years old, I'd say."

He paused before her and Liz said confused: "Yeah? It's an antique. So?"

"Yeah, an antique made by craftsmen over 200 years ago." The Doctor agreed. Liz frowned and shook her head a little, not understanding.

"It's perfectly sculpted to your face." Lily said quietly, and Liz stared at the girl before looking back down at the mask.

The Doctor explained as Liz lifted her gaze back to him defiantly: "They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not fifty. Nearer 300."

Amy's mouth fell open in shock, while the Doctor finished quietly: "And it's been a long old reign."

Liz reeled back a little, and she protested in a shaky voice: "Nah, it's ten years. I've been on this throne ten years."

Lily's eyes had filled with tears again as the Doctor nodded, saying to Liz slowly as he gently broke the news to her: "Ten years. And the same ten years, over and over again, always," he pushed away and led them over to a desk on one side of the room "leading you here."

He pointed at the desk as they all followed, Lily slower than the rest as she struggled to keep her tears back. Liz stared down at the desk, upon which sat a screen and two buttons: 'Forget' and 'Abdicate'. Liz looked up slowly as Hawthorne joined them and she turned tear-filled eyes to the old man.

"What have you done?" She asked in a broken whisper, and Hawthorne replied grimly: "Only what you have ordered. We work for you, Ma'am. The Winders," he nodded at the half-man half-smilers guarding the room, "the Smilers, all of us."

He switched on the screen and the Doctor bowed his head a little in defeat as Liz appeared on the screen. The recorded Liz said in a sad but determined voice: "If you are watching this. If I am watching this, then I have found my way to the Tower Of London."

Present Liz sat down at the seat before the desk in shock and horror as her recording continued: "The creature you are looking at is called a Star Whale." The screen showed a full picture of the creature and Lily's heart tugged.

"Once, there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space and, according to legend, guided the early space travellers through the asteroid belts. This one, as far as we are aware, is the last of its kind."

The Doctor's gaze turned to the ground. The Liz on the screen fought tears as she explained: "And what we have done to it breaks my heart. The Earth was burning. Our sun had turned on us and every other nation had fled to the skies. Our children screamed as the skies grew hotter. And then it came, like a miracle."

She lifted her eyes to prevent her tears from falling.

"The last of the Star Whales."

Present Liz watched, closing her eyes.

"We trapped it, we built our ship around it," Amy swallowed, the full impact of the situation hit her, "and we rode on its back to safety. If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must press the 'Forget' button."

Present Liz glanced down at the button, her breathing heavy now as she fought sobs.

"Be again the heart of this nation, untainted." Present Liz glanced up at the screen, eyes shining with tears. "If not, press the other button."

Liz glanced at the 'Abdicate' button, and she heaved in pain.

"Your reign will end, the Star Whale will be released, and our ship will disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to make the right decision."

The recording finished, and Amy said in a shaky voice: "I voted for this."

She lifted her tearful eyes to the Doctor and Lily as she asked: "Why would I do that?"

Lily bowed her head, unable to meet her friend's eyes while the Doctor said flatly: "Because you knew if we stayed here, I'd be faced with an impossible choice."

He looked Amy in the eye as he said, his lips folded tightly in anger: "Humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me from that."

He turned his gaze away as he said quietly: "And that was wrong."

He turned back to her and lifted a finger at her, saying with quiet anger: "You don't ever decide what I need to know."

Amy's eyes filled with tears and she protested as her brow knit sorrowfully: "I don't even remember doing it."

"You did it. That's what counts." The Doctor snapped angrily as he looked at Amy, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment.

Amy reared back a little at the accusation, and she replied: "I'm," she swallowed as she fought against the hurt, "I'm sorry."

Lily glanced up at last, but the Doctor snapped emotionlessly: "Oh, I don't care."

Lily glanced at him with sad eyes, reaching gently for Amy's hand as the Doctor told her darkly: "When I'm done here, you're going home."

The Doctor walked away without a backward glance at the redhead. Lily squeezed Amy's hand as she stood in shock. Amy glanced at her friend, and Lily shook her head once, emphatically. Amy pursed her lips, but then chose to ignore her friend's warning as she called after the Doctor: "Why? Because I made a mistake?"

She walked after him as he stood silently beside a monitor by the Star Whale's brain, saying in a mix of anger and desperation: "One mistake? I don't even remember doing it."

The Doctor continued to ignore her and Lily walked over quickly, knowing it wasn't the best idea to pressure the Doctor right now.

"Amy…" Lily began in a low voice, but Amy slammed a hand on the desk, pleading: "Doctor!"

"Yeah, I know." He retorted at last. He looked at her at last as he said: "You're only human."

It was like a slap in the face for them all, and Lily bit back the hurt it had caused. Liz walked over slowly, and she asked the Doctor cautiously: "What are you doing?"

He sighed before he muttered, not looking at any of them: "The worst thing I'll ever do."

He continued to manipulate some wires as he said emotionlessly: "I'm going to pass a massive electrical charge through the Star Whale's brain. Should knock out all its higher functions, leave it a vegetable."

He glanced at them briefly as he muttered: "The ship will still fly, but the whale won't feel it."

Lily swallowed, while Amy protested: "That'll be like killing it."

The Doctor's hands clenched and he looked at her directly as he said in a mix of exasperation and anger: "Look, three options. One, I let the Star Whale continue in unendurable agony for hundreds more years."

Amy swallowed but the Doctor continued in the same tone: "Two, I kill everyone on this ship."

Liz stared sadly as the Doctor finished: "Three, I murder a beautiful," he winced a little as he said in an agonized voice, "innocent creature as painlessly as I can."

He turned back to the monitors.

"And then," he added as he ran an agitated hand through his hair, "I find a new name, because I won't be the Doctor any more."

"There must be something we can do," Liz murmured sadly, "some other way."

"Nobody talk to me." The Doctor said darkly. "Nobody," he slammed his hands on the desk as he looked at them and snarled furiously: "human has anything to say to me today!"

Amy and Liz closed their mouths, unable to say anything to that. The Doctor paused for a second as he saw Lily's face. He felt a twinge of regret at his words as he saw the ashen look on her face, the hurt that flashed across her face before she turned it away quickly to hide the tear that slipped out. But he turned away too, unable to bear looking at the other humans in the room.

Because despite what he felt about Lily, he'd meant what he'd said. Lily might be an exception- no, she was an exception- but even his love for her couldn't overcome the dark anger and disgust he felt for the human race at this moment. And so he worked on in silence while Liz drew away and Amy, Lily and Mandy took to sitting in a corner of the room, watching the Doctor work.

The door to the tower opened, and a group of children walked in. Mandy glanced over before calling happily: "Timmy!"

She ran over to her friend as she said: "You made it, you're okay. It's me, Mandy."

She stood before her friend whose eyes widened and he backed away as the tentacle the Doctor had released earlier flailed behind her. Lily and Amy's eyes widened in alarm and they both started to get up, ready to shout warnings when they paused. Lily's eyes widened even further in awe as the tentacle tapped Mandy's shoulder gently. Both she and Amy got up slowly, staring in surprise as the tentacle gently swayed before Mandy, who slowly reached up to stroke it.

Suddenly, it occurred to Lily. She remembered Mandy crying silently on the bench earlier and Liz's voice from the recording: _"Our children screamed. It came, like a miracle."_

 _"It won't eat the children."_ Hawthorne had said, and Liz's recording had whispered _: "The children screamed, then it came. It's the last of its kind."_

Last of its kind…

 _"Just me now."_ The Doctor had said. And Amy had asked right after they'd arrived on this ship: _"Is this how it works, Doctor?"_

Lily, herself, had asked: _"You never interfere with other peoples or planets..."_

And finally, Amy's words to the Doctor as she finished their shared thoughts: _"Unless there's children crying."_

Unless there were children crying. And the Doctor's response: _"Yes."_

Lily glanced over at Amy who was also looking wide-eyed.

"Amy…" Lily whispered and Amy turned to her, eyes filled with wonder.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lily asked and Amy paused. She nodded slowly, as she also worked it out at last.

"Children crying…" Amy began slowly, and Lily smiled a little.

"And the last of his kind." Lily finished. Amy's eyes had become hopeful, and Lily gestured over at the Doctor.

"Go on, tell him." She encouraged, and Amy immediately called to him: "Doctor, stop."

She walked over to him hastily as she shouted: "Whatever you're doing, stop it now!"

Lily quickly followed, grabbing the Doctor's hand and pulling it away.

"Lily?" He asked confused as Amy grabbed Liz, saying hastily: "Sorry, Your Majesty. Going to need a hand."

Amy dragged Liz over to the buttons, and the Doctor shouted in alarm: "Amy, no!"

He tried to run after them, but Lily held on tight and he cried: "Lily!"

He then glanced back at Amy and shouted: "No!"

But it was too late as Amy slammed Liz's hand down on the 'Abdicate' button.

There was a moment's pause where Lily let the Doctor go and everyone stood in shock. Then there was an almighty roar and the whole ship shook. It was over quickly, but the Doctor asked in horror: "Amy, Lily, what have you done?"

Amy and Lily shared shaky grins as Amy replied: "Nothing at all. Am I right?" She called.

Liz was looking severely shaken but they all paused in surprise as Hawthorne called in wonder as he read the readings: "We've increased speed."

"Yeah, well, you've stopped torturing the pilot. Got to help." Amy said mockingly. She grinned over at the Doctor and Lily, the former of whom was still looking shell-shocked.

Lily grinned back, moving over to hug her friend, and the pair laughed triumphantly, both relieved. Liz murmured in shock: "It's still here."

She glanced down at the opening to the Star Whale's brain in confusion. The Doctor was also slowing his breathing down at last as he realized everything was fine.

"I don't understand." Liz murmured, and Lily said softly: "It's not that hard."

Liz glanced over, puzzled, and Amy explained with a proud huff: "The Star Whale didn't come like a miracle all those years ago. It volunteered."

She smiled a little as she continued, gesturing around the room: "You didn't have to trap it or torture it. That was all just you."

She gestured at Liz and walked over excitedly as she explained: "It came because it couldn't stand to watch your children cry."

Liz frowned as she pointed out: "That was a dangerous bet to make. How could you be sure?"

"Because we've seen it before." Lily replied softly.

Amy nodded as she added: "And really, think about it. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone?" She looked down at the Star Whale's brain as she continued pensively. "Your whole race dead. No future. What couldn't you do then?"

She looked up at Lily, signaling to her friend silently, and Lily added gently: "If you were that old, and that kind… and the very last of your kind," she and Amy turned to the Doctor, who stared at the pair in shock.

"You couldn't just stand there and watch children cry." Lily finished softly.

* * *

The Doctor stood on the observation deck alone, staring out at the city below him. He turned when Amy appeared beside him, handing him Liz's mask as she said: "From Her Majesty. She says there will be no more secrets on Starship UK."

She smiled, but the Doctor didn't take it as he said sternly: "Amy, you and Lily could have killed everyone on this ship."

"You could have killed a Star Whale." Amy retorted and the Doctor sighed: "And you two saved it. I know, I know."

He stared out at the city pensively.

Amy stared out with him before she commented: "Amazing though, don't you think? The Star Whale. All that pain and misery and loneliness, and it just made it kind."

She looked at him pointedly, and the Doctor deflated.

"Sound a bit familiar?" Amy teased, and the Doctor smiled a little.

They turned as Lily called: "Come on, you two!"

The Doctor grinned a little as he saw the girl leaning on the doorway to the room. Amy also beamed and as they walked over to the brunette, Lily grinned as she said cheekily: "Glad to see you two made up."

Amy laughed while the Doctor ruffled Lily's hair a little as he replied: "And it's partly thanks to you. Don't think I don't know you let Amy take most of the credit because you knew she'd want to make it up to me for her mistake."

Lily's eyes widened in fake surprise and she asked in an innocent voice: "Who me?"

Amy giggled while the Doctor said mock-sternly: "Yes, you."

Lily just laughed, linking her arms with her two friends as she replied airily: "Well, it worked didn't it?"

The Doctor just grinned. As the three walked into the London market, Amy asked curiously: "Shouldn't we say goodbye? Won't they wonder where we went?"

"For the rest of their lives." The Doctor replied lightly. "Oh, the songs they'll write."

He grinned and the girls laughed a little. He added over his shoulder: "Never mind them. Big day tomorrow."

Amy stopped dead as she asked: "Sorry, what?"

The Doctor turned to her in surprise, especially noting Lily's sideways glance at the redhead. But he didn't comment as he elaborated: "Well, it's always a big day tomorrow. We've got a time machine. I skip the little ones."

He turned to unlock his Tardis, but paused as Amy began hesitantly: "You know what I said about getting back for tomorrow morning?"

He looked at her, focusing on her fully. Lily smiled, and stepped to the side with a knowing look. Amy asked frantically: "Have you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just, just because you could?"

The Doctor smiled a little as those words resonated inside.

"Once, a long time ago." He told her, and Amy asked, sounding a little desperate: "What happened?"

He grinned and replied: "Hello."

He gestured at the three of them and the Tardis. Amy realized what he meant, and muttered: "Right."

She took a deep breath, but Lily had suddenly frowned, glancing to the side and looking a little puzzled. The Doctor didn't notice, waiting patiently as Amy began: "Doctor, there's something I haven't told you."

She frowned then and she suddenly asked: "No, hang on. Is that a phone ringing?"

She glanced at Lily, who nodded as she frowned about for the source. It sounded… like it was coming from inside the Tardis. The Doctor grinned as he opened the Tarids and walked in. The girls followed, Amy asking incredulously: "People phone you?"

"Well, it's a phone box." The Doctor replied as he jumped up towards the console. "Would you mind?"

He gestured at the phone as he walked past, getting ready for them to take off. Amy scoffed but answered the phone as Lily showed no sign of wanting to answer it, instead choosing to walk over to join the Doctor.

"Hello?" Amy asked and then she became incredulous. "Sorry, who? No, seriously, who?"

The Doctor was glancing up in amusement while Lily watched with interest. Amy placed the phone away from her mouth as she told the Doctor in disbelief: "Says he's the Prime Minister. First the Queen, now the Prime Minister. Get about, don't you?"

The Doctor pretended to be busy, but he was smug as he asked: "Which Prime Minister?"

As Amy asked into the phone, Lily teased the Doctor: "You love to show off, don't you?"

He grinned at her while Amy popped the phone to the side again as she told them: "The British one."

"Which British one?" The Doctor and Lily asked at the same time. Amy rolled her eyes as the pair looked at each other in surprise, before they grinned.

"Which British one?" Amy asked into the phone as she wrinkled her nose at Lily, who wrinkled hers back teasingly. Amy's face changed suddenly, her mouth popping open in surprise. The Doctor looked up with a grin while Lily waited impatiently.

"Winston Churchill for you." Amy said in shock as she held out the phone.

Lily's eyes widened while the Doctor said lightly: "Oh! Hello, dear. What's up?"

He paused to listen as Winston said seriously: "Tricky situation, Doctor. Potentially very dangerous. I think I'm going to need you."

"Don't worry about a thing, Prime Minister." The Doctor replied, winking at the girls as they stared at him in awe. "We're on our way."

He hung up with a grin, beginning to take off. The girls laughed excitedly as the Tardis began to wheeze, as it dematerialized. None of them aware that on the side of Starship UK, there was a W-shaped crack… exactly like the one that had been inside Amy's bedroom when she'd been a little girl.


	7. 3-1 Victory of the Daleks

The Tardis wheezed as they landed.

"Are we really going to meet Winston Churchill?" Lily asked excitedly, and the Doctor laughed at her enthusiasm as he nodded.

"Oh, we go way back, Winston and I." He declared as he dashed to the Tardis doors. The girls followed eagerly but stopped as he paused.

"Er, although, he does have some… threatening tendencies." The Doctor admitted.

Amy raised her brows while Lily asked dubiously: "Threatening how?"

The Doctor didn't respond as he slowly opened the door. He peered out and Lily was alarmed as she heard the distinct clicks of guns being cocked. The Doctor slowly leaned back into the Tardis to look at the girls meaningfully before he stepped out carefully.

"Lily, Amy." He called and they stepped out carefully to see a line of soldiers with their guns pointed at the Tardis. Behind the soldiers stood a stately older gentleman in a black suit, black hat and smoking a cigar.

"Winston Churchill." The Doctor introduced with a smile, and Churchill removed his cigar as he asked: "Doctor?"

The girls stepped up behind the Doctor, more relaxed now although still uncomfortable with the guns still pointed in their direction.

"Is it you?" Churchill asked and Lily was surprised.

 _'Doesn't he know what the Doctor looks like?'_ She wondered as the man extended a hand to the Doctor.

"Oh, Winston, my old friend." The Doctor greeted cheerily, as he reached to shake the other man's hand. But Churchill abruptly pulled his hand back and beckoned it meaningfully.

The Doctor's extended hand folded as he pointed at Churchill's gesture, laughing as he said: "Ah, every time."

"What's he after?" Amy asked curiously as the girls peered between the men with interest.

"Tardis key," the Doctor replied without removing his eyes from Churchill, "of course."

Churchill retorted, almost whining: "Think of what I could achieve with your remarkable machine, Doctor. The lives that could be saved."

The girls grinned in amusement while the Doctor turned back to the Tardis as he replied: "Ah, doesn't work like that."

He shut the Tardis door firmly, making his point clearly. Churchill asked in a serious voice: "Must I take it by force?"

He looked at the Doctor threateningly and Lily's brows raised. She and Amy were suppressing smiles as the Doctor stepped forward and said coolly: "I'd like to see you try."

Lily almost laughed, but kept it in as Churchill almost pouted, before he ordered his soldiers: "At ease."

The Doctor smiled, also amused, as he asked expectantly: "You rang?"

The whole room shuddered a little, and they all glanced up briefly but Churchill gestured for them to follow him. He called over his shoulder: "So you've changed your face again."

"Yeah, well, had a bit of work done." The Doctor replied lightly.

Lily looked surprised, but Amy cut in excitedly: "Got it, got it, got it. Cabinet War Rooms, right?"

"Yep." The Doctor replied, and he explained enthusiastically: "Top secret heart of the War Office, right under London."

"You're late, by the way." Churchill suddenly chimed in.

The Doctor frowned and checked his watch in confusion, Amy and Lily exchanging glances as a woman came up and said to Churchill, neither breaking their stride: "Requisitions, sir."

She held out a clipboard and Churchill commented: "Excellent."

He began to check the papers as the Doctor repeated: "Late?"

"I rang you a month ago." Churchill told him as he checked the papers and signed them, and the Doctor said in surprise: "Really?"

He then began to apologize: "Sorry, sorry. It's a Type Forty Tardis, it's… I'm just running her in."

"Hey, don't blame the Tardis." Lily chided. "I happen to like her."

The Doctor grinned at that, but Churchill had finished with papers and he paused in his steps as he handed the papers back to the woman.

"Something the matter, Breen?" He asked in concern as he took in the woman's countenance for the first time. "You look a little down in the dumps."

"No, sir. Fine, sir." The woman said with a slightly forced smile.

"Action this day, Breen. Action this day." Churchill said encouragingly and the woman replied as she straightened her shoulders: "Yes, sir."

She smiled before she excused herself. They were met by another man just as the woman walked off.

"Excuse me, sir." He said, stopping before Churchill, and they all watched interestedly as the man told Churchill: "Got another formation coming in, Prime Minister. Stukas, by the look of them."

"We shall go up top then, Group Captain." Churchill replied enthusiastically. "We'll give them what for."

As the man nodded and started off, Churchill turned to the Doctor, asking: "Coming, Doctor?"

The Doctor raised his brows as he questioned in surprise and interest: "Why?"

"I have something to show you." Churchill declared before he marched off.

The Doctor grinned at the girls, and Lily said with raised brows: "Mmm threatening tendencies. Seeing it now."

He smiled while Amy laughed, before the three walked after the one of Britain's greatest Prime Ministers of all time.

* * *

As the lift dinged and Lily watched with interest as Churchill flipped the lever the old-fashioned way. She was less impressed when they were stuck in the small space with Churchill smoking his cigar beside them. The Doctor didn't seem too happy about it either as he waved the fumes away from him with a small frown.

Churchill removed his cigar as he said seriously: "We stand at a crossroads, Doctor, quite alone, with our backs to the wall. Invasion is expected daily. So I will grasp with both hands anything that will give us an advantage over the Nazi menace."

The Doctor looked surprised, and glanced back at the girls who were also looking confused. He turned back to Churchill, prompting: "Such as?"

Churchill indicated the elevator doors, just as they arrived. He pulled open the grate doors and said mysteriously: "Follow me."

They followed the man onto the roof, which was filled with sandbags and armed sentries.

"Wow." Amy commented as they turned a corner to see the view of the city around them.

"Doctor," Churchill shouted over the wind as he indicated a man in a white lab coat standing on an elevated area on the far side of the roof, "this is Professor Edwin Bracewell. Head of our Ironsides Project."

The Doctor sent him a 'V' for victory salute in greeting and then man waved down to them cheerily as he looked away from his binoculars briefly.

"How do you do?" He called, before he turned back to his binoculars. The three travellers walked to the roof edge, watching on with interest as they spotted tiny dots in the sky, indicating the German planes. Just as they arrived, a bomb blew up somewhere nearby, the blast reaching their ears and they could see the flames that burst up as the bomb exploded.

"Wow." Lily breathed as she stared at the zeppelins flying all around London, and they could see Big Ben in the distance, right in front of them.

"Oh, Doctor. Doctor, it's…" Amy breathed in a mix of admiration and sadness, and the Doctor supplied: "History."

Churchill called from behind them: "Ready, Bracewell?"

"Aye aye, sir." The scientist called back. The three glanced up, wondering what they were going to see as the scientist shouted: "On my order, fire!"

At his signal, several energy blasts were fired into the sky from a sandbag-covered emplacement. Lily frowned as she saw bolts of white-ish blue blasts hit the planes at a far greater distance than anything that should have been possible. And the blasts themselves were incredible- sharp and always on mark as the planes all blew up one after the other.

But there was something else: Lily wasn't sure why, but the sounds had made her skin crawl in apprehension… and fear.

"What was that?" Amy asked in shock, and Lily also glanced at the Doctor with a frown.

Her brows furrowed even further as the Doctor said in a mix of shock, anger and worry: "That wasn't human. That was never human technology. That… sounded like…"

His voice faded, his eyes darting around wildly, almost fearful. Lily and Amy were puzzled by his reaction, but the Doctor seemed lost in thought.

"Show me." He whispered, before he called loudly, dashing over to the scientist: "Show me. Show me what that was!"

He hopped up the steps quickly and Lily followed immediately as Bracewell called to his soldier: "Advance."

"Our new secret weapon. Ha!" Churchill called happily from his spot on the ground.

The Doctor's face had fallen and his expression was one of pure horror as he stared at the machine that rolled forward. And Lily wasn't sure why, but her blood ran cold just at the sight of the pepper-pot shaped machine with its eyestalk and a ray-gun and what looked like a plunger sticking out the front.

The machine was an army green with a Union Flag painted right under the eyestalk. It turned its eyestalk towards them and Lily blinked in alarm as she watched the Doctor stepped forward to examine the machine. It wasn't his approach that worried her- it was his expression.

"What do you think?" Churchill was yelling from below. "Quite something, eh?"

The Doctor didn't appear to have heard as he asked the machine in a dark voice: "What are you doing here?"

Lily's stomach twisted worriedly as she took in the cold look on the Doctor's face.

"I am your soldier." The machine replied in a strange mechanical voice. The sound made Lily's stomach churn, and she realized with some surprise that even though her mind was confused, her body was terrified of this thing before her.

The Doctor had reared back a little in shock.

"What?" He asked, sure he'd heard wrong, and the machine repeated: "I am your soldier."

"Stop this." The Doctor cut in angrily. "Stop now."

He stared into the eyestalk as he said darkly: "Now, you know who I am. You always know."

"Your identity is unknown." The machine replied, and the scientist, Bracewell, stepped forward as he explained: "Perhaps I can clarify things here."

The Doctor had turned away, looking shell-shocked. Lily stepped forward in concern as Bracewell continued: "This is one of my Ironsides."

The Doctor spun around, asking the man incredulously: "Your what?"

Bracewell addressed the Ironside in demonstration: "You will help the Allied cause in any way that you can."

"Yes." The machine replied.

"Until the Germans have been utterly smashed." Bracewell added, and the machine repeated: "Yes."

"And what is your ultimate aim?" Bracewell prompted.

And for some reason Lily's body chilled and her heart stopped as the machine replied triumphantly: "To win the war."

* * *

"They're Daleks." The Doctor snapped. "They're called Daleks."

The group were all gathered in Churchill's office, around his desk where the blueprints and planning documents for Bracewell's Ironsides were lying before the Doctor. The Doctor was arguing with Churchill across the desk while the girls stood to one side, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Churchill snapped in agitation: "They are Bracewell's Ironsides, Doctor. Look."

He pointed at all the documents on his desk as he listed in exasperation: "Blueprints, statistics, field tests, photographs. He invented them."

"Invented them?" The Doctor repeated incredulously. He scoffed as he leaned forward across the desk: "Oh, no, no, no."

He finished firmly, but Churchill replied just as firmly: "Yes."

He leaned in to meet the Doctor across the desk as he continued: "He approached one of our brass hats a few months ago. Fellow's a genius."

Amy added: "A Scottish genius, too. Maybe you should listen to-"

"Shush." The Doctor hushed her irritably.

Amy paused, startled by the intensity of his gaze and Lily frowned, not understanding why the Doctor was acting so agitated. The Doctor turned back to Churchill as he explained slowly and in a low voice: "He didn't invent them. They're alien."

Amy's eyes widened and she glanced at Churchill while Lily's mind raced as she started to put some of the pieces together. Churchill was looking skeptical as he repeated: "Alien."

The Doctor's eyes slid back, over his shoulder as they heard one roll past the open door. Lily's heart clenched a little as soon as she saw the eyestalk, and she was a little surprised once again by how her body was reacting to the alien creature.

As the Dalek/Ironside rolled away, the Doctor added ominously: "And totally hostile."

"Precisely." Churchill retorted. "They will win me the war."

He flipped a blueprint to show them a promotional poster which showed an animated image of the Ironside with the words: 'To Victory!' printed across the top on one side of the poster.

* * *

The three walked down the corridor behind Churchill, and the Doctor asked in a mixture of agitation and exasperation: "Why won't you listen to me? Why did you call me in if you won't listen to me?"

Churchill sighed a little as he admitted: "When I rang you a month ago, I must admit I had my doubts. The Ironsides seemed too good to be true."

"Yes. Right. So destroy them. Exterminate them." The Doctor ordered and something about the word dislodged something in Lily's mind.

She clutched her head a little as the word echoed in her mind. ' _Exterminate_!'

And then it was gone, and she blinked as Churchill retorted: "But imagine what I could do with a hundred. A thousand."

"I am imagining." The Doctor snapped back.

At that moment, a Dalek rolled passed them, carrying a dispatch box. The Doctor stared at it as it turned its eyestalk to them, but it then just carried on going. The Doctor stared after it darkly, and the trio stopped in the corridor as Churchill walked through a set of doors into a large room.

"Amy, Lily, tell him." The Doctor demanded, and Amy sighed: "Tell him what?"

"About the Daleks." He elaborated and Lily looked at him puzzled.

Amy was also bewildered as she asked the Doctor: "What would I know about the… Daleks?" She hesitated on the foreign word.

"Everything. They invaded your world, remember?" The Doctor said in exasperation.

He looked at them, prompting: "Planets in the sky. You don't forget that."

He glanced at Lily, rethinking her ability to remember it, and then turned to Amy. But his hearts sank as he saw no recognition in the redhead's eyes either.

"Amy," the Doctor said slowly, his eyes wide, "tell me you remember the Daleks."

His eyes searched hers, and Amy shook her head, looking surprised by the intensity of his gaze as she replied: "No, sorry."

She laughed a little, trying to alleviate the tension, but the Doctor was staring at her intensely.

"That's not possible." He said flatly. He turned to Lily. "Lily?"

She hesitated, but slowly shook her head.

"Sorry, but I don't remember something like that. And I think I'd notice if there were planets in the sky." She told him and his face, if possible, fell even further.

"This isn't possible." He murmured darkly, before he turned and left them abruptly, following Churchill into the room. Amy sighed and followed, but Lily paused.

This kept happening, the Doctor asking questions as though she should know… No. As though she should remember, Lily realized. The Doctor kept asking her things as though he expected her to know it, as though she'd had the knowledge before.

But why? If she had it, then why didn't she remember it now? And why did the Doctor act like that with her, but not usually with Amy? This was the first time he'd asked Amy for reference, but Lily still remembered how the Doctor had known her name when they'd first met… even though she'd never told him what it was.

 _'Why?'_ Lily wondered. ' _Why does it feel like there's something obvious I'm missing? Why did the Doctor feel familiar? Why does my head hurt sometimes and weird flashes pass by of things I don't remember happening? Why does it feel like I should know these Daleks? And why, if I knew them before, don't I remember them now?'_

* * *

They walked into the map room where Churchill was overseeing his people as they worked urgently, answering calls and taking messages while sending orders.

As Lily joined her two friends slowly, the Doctor murmured, glaring with thin lips at a Dalek standing on guard in the corner: "So, they're up to something. But what is it? What are they after?"

"Well, let's just ask, shall we?" Amy suggested, and she walked off towards the Dalek.

Lily was suddenly gripped by an irrational alarm, while the Doctor snapped warningly: "Amy. Amelia!"

Amy ignored him as she tapped the Dalek's side to get its attention. It turned its eyestalk to her, and asked: "Can I be of assistance?"

Amy looked a little startled by its loud, strangely screechy voice, and she said: "Oh. Yes, yes!"

She regained herself and pointed at the Doctor as she explained: "See, my friend reckons you're dangerous. That you're an alien. Is it true?"

Lily slapped her hand to her face. _Really, Amy?_ She thought in exasperation, but the Dalek was replying: "I am your soldier."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed, and his chest was starting to heave a little as his breathing became heavier.

"Yeah. Got that bit." Amy replied. "Love a squaddie. What else, though?" She prompted, but the Dalek just replied: "Please excuse me. I have duties to perform."

It turned back to the room while the Doctor rolled his eyes and walked over to Churchill. Amy was still standing by the Dalek, frowning petulantly, but Lily was watching as the Doctor removed the cigar from Churchill's mouth impatiently, saying in a low voice: "Winston. Winston, please."

"We are waging total war, Doctor." Churchill replied in agitation. "Day after day the Luftwaffe pound this great city like an iron fist."

"Wait till the Daleks get started." The Doctor retorted, and Lily was alarmed as the Dalek turned its eyestalk towards the Doctor.

"Men, women and children slaughtered." Churchill continued morosely. "Families torn apart. Wren's churches in flame."

"Yeah." The Doctor snapped back. "Try the Earth in flames."

Churchill went on as he walked off and the Doctor followed: "I weep for my country. I weep for my empire. It is breaking my heart."

"You're resisting, Winston." The Doctor said reassuringly. "The whole world knows you're resisting. You're a beacon of hope."

Churchill almost sighed as he cried in exasperation: "But for how long? Millions of innocent lives will be saved if I use these Ironsides now."

"Can I be of assistance?" A Dalek asked as it rolled up to the arguing pair, and the Doctor almost snapped at it furiously before he stopped himself and simply said firmly: "Shut it."

He turned back to Churchill as he said desperately: "Listen to me. Just listen."

Churchill stared at him, and the Doctor said sincerely, trying to make Churchill understand: "The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, no pity. They are my oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them."

Churchill just arched his brows and replied darkly: "If Hitler invaded hell, I would give a favourable reference to the Devil. These machines," he indicated the Dalek, "are our salvation."

The Doctor stood in disbelief just as a siren sounded. Churchill looked up and sighed in relief. He murmured thankfully: "Oh, the All Clear. We are safe, for now."

His face was set in a grim expression as he looked at the Doctor sternly before he left, followed by the Dalek. Lily watched as the Doctor stared after the Dalek darkly. Amy bounded up to the Doctor as she told him: "Doctor, it's the All Clear."

She paused a little as she saw the Doctor's face and she asked concernedly: "You okay?"

Lily had walked over as well, and the Doctor asked the pair in a low voice: "What does hate look like, Lily? Amy?"

"Hate?" Amy repeated while Lily said pointedly: "Your eyes when you look at one of those things."

She nodded at the Dalek on the other side of the room. But the Doctor replied seriously as he gazed at Lily with determined eyes: "It looks like a Dalek, Lily. And I'm going to prove it."

And with that, the Doctor strode out of the room, passing the Dalek and sending it a dirty look before he left. Amy and Lily looked at each other briefly before they darted out after him.


	8. 3-2 Testimony

The Doctor strode into Bracewell's laboratory, calling: "All right, Prof. Now, the PM's been filling me in."

He picked up a spanner absently as he waltzed through the room, the girls behind him.

"Amazing things, these Ironsides of yours. Amazing. You must be very proud of them." The Doctor prompted as he glanced over some papers.

Bracewell just replied lightly: "Just doing my bit."

The Doctor dropped the spanner to pick up the papers, sitting in a nearby chair to look over them while Amy picked up the spanner and called: "Not bad for a Paisley boy."

Bracewell chuckled and he turned to them as he said fondly: "Yes, I thought I detected a familiar cadence, my dear."

The Doctor interjected suddenly: "How did you do it? Come up with the idea?"

He looked at Bracewell who shrugged as he asked rhetorically: "How does the muse of invention come to anyone?"

The Doctor tossed aside the papers as he asked: "But you get a lot of these clever notions, do you?"

He leaned back in his seat expectantly while Lily tidied the papers he'd messed up absently. Bracewell replied thoughtfully: "Well, ideas just seem to teem from my head. Wonderful things, like."

He dashed over to his desk, grabbing various papers as he said enthusiastically: "Let me show you. Some musings on the potential of hypersonic flight."

The Doctor walked over, looking at the papers with a frown while Bracewell continued: "Gravity bubbles that can sustain life outside of the terrestrial atmosphere. Came to me in the bath."

"That's amazing." Lily breathed, unable to hide her admiration as she looked at the papers.

"And are these your ideas or theirs?" The Doctor asked flatly, throwing the papers down. Lily and Amy glanced at him, Amy defiant while Lily warning.

Bracewell meanwhile denied emphatically: "Oh no, no, no. These robots," he indicated an approaching Dalek that was carrying a tray with a teacup on it, "are entirely under my control, Doctor. They are…"

He paused to take the tea from the Dalek, saying to it: "Thank you."

He then finished his sentence: "The perfect servant, and the perfect warrior."

The Doctor looked down at the scientist as he said sternly: "I don't know what you're up to, Professor, but whatever they've promised, you cannot trust them. Call them what you like," he poked a finger on the scientist's chest, "the Daleks are death."

"Yes, Doctor." Churchill called as he walked into the lab, and they all turned to meet the man as he continued: "Death to our enemies. Death to the forces of darkness, and death to the Third Reich."

Churchill placed his hands in his pocket defiantly and the Doctor took the same position as he shot back: "Yes, Winston, and death to everyone else too."

He turned back to Lily and Amy, just as the Dalek rolled over and asked him: "Would you care for some tea?"

The Doctor flung his hand out, smacking the tray away from the Dalek in a sudden burst of fury. Lily flinched as the tray clattered loudly against the floor and Amy also straightened in alarm, her mouth falling open as the two girls watched the Doctor, startled.

"Stop this!" The Doctor shouted at the Dalek, finally having lost all his patience while Churchill raised his brows in shock.

The Doctor didn't notice, snapping at the Dalek angrily: "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"We seek only to help you." The Dalek replied meekly. Amy gave an accusingly glance at the Doctor, but he was too focused on the Dalek to see it.

"To do what?" The Doctor asked, and Lily swallowed again as the Dalek replied: "To win the war."

 _'Which war?'_ She wondered, just as the Doctor scoffed: "Really? Which war?"

"I do not understand." The Dalek replied and the Doctor prompted, growing increasingly agitated: "This war, against the Nazis, or your war? The war against the rest of the Universe? The war against all life forms that are not Dalek?"

The Dalek paused, its eyestalk twitching before it replied: "I do not understand. I am your soldier."

"Oh, yeah?" The Doctor retorted sharply. "Okay."

He lifted a finger threateningly at the Dalek as he lost his temper: "Okay."

He turned and picked up a huge metal spanner. Amy and Lily's mouths fell open in shock as the Doctor turned back to the Dalek and snapped: "Okay, soldier, defend yourself."

The Doctor lifted the spanner and Bracewell began to stutter in protest while Amy gasped and Lily's eyes widened as the Doctor hit the Dalek, hard.

"Doctor, what the devil?" Churchill shouted angrily but the Doctor didn't stop as he continued to attack the Dalek.

Lily clutched her hands together in worry as she watched with no small alarm, while the Dalek simply asked, completely unaffected: "You do not require tea?"

Bracewell cried as the Doctor continued to aim hit after hit on the Dalek: "Stop him! Prime Minister, please."

"Doctor, what the devil?" Churchill shouted. "Please, these machines are precious."

Amy and Lily watched both anxiously and in alarm as the Doctor ignored both men and shouted at the Dalek: "Come on. Fight back. You want to, don't you? You know you do."

Lily's heart clenched in fear as the Doctor taunted the Dalek right in its eyestalk. ' _Something… something is familiar about this.'_

"I must protest." Bracewell cried, but the Doctor ignored him as he alternated hitting and shouting at the Dalek: "What are you waiting for? Look, you hate me. You want to kill me. Well, go on. Kill me."

The Dalek's eyestalk twitched and Lily's hands clenched, her knuckles going white. The Doctor hit the Dalek again as he screamed at it: "Kill me!"

Lily suddenly gasped as another man's voice jarred her mind: _"It's my turn! Kill me! Do it!"_ A flash of brown- the back of a brown-haired man's head and a light brown trench- went through her mind before she was back in the present, staring at the Doctor's screaming rage.

"Doctor, be careful." Amy cried, moving to stop him, but he shoved her away as the Dalek replied: "Please desist from striking me. I am your soldier."

The Doctor's anger broke and he flung the spanner at the Dalek continuously, pounding it furiously as he shouted: "You are my enemy!"

"Doctor!" Lily cried in alarm, frightened of the depth of his anger. He didn't turn, just snarled at the Dalek: "And I am yours."

The Dalek's eyestalk quivered a little as it focused on the Doctor and Lily stepped forward, gripped by that deep fear once more.

"Doctor." She begged but he was still focused on the Dalek as he spat: "You are everything I despise."

His rage had cooled into a cold fury as he continued: "The worst thing in all creation."

Amy breathed heavily and Churchill stared, aghast.

"I've defeated you time and time again." The Doctor hissed, his green eyes narrowed in anger. "I've defeated you. I sent you back into the Void. I saved the whole of reality from you."

As the Doctor spoke, Lily's mind suddenly felt like it was going to explode. ' _Rose!_ ' A voice, _her_ voice, screamed. ' _No! Doctor-!_ '

' _Exterminate!_ ' She clutched it in pain and Amy glanced at her in alarm, but Lily didn't notice, too absorbed as something deep and terrible tugged at her heart. Something about what the Doctor had said had triggered a painful memory.

 _'But what?'_ She wondered, her head pounding, and suddenly a flash of red hair, not Amy's and yet so familiar, whipped through her mind. And Lily wasn't sure why, but all of a sudden it felt like her heart was breaking.

The Doctor hadn't noticed as he snarled at the Dalek: "I am the Doctor. And you are the Daleks."

Lily blinked, coming back to the present and jumping in alarm as the Doctor kicked the Dalek, causing it to roll back. Bracewell was staring in shock, and the Doctor was glaring at the Dalek expectantly, hoping he'd finally pushed it too far and it would reveal its true colors.

Lily was terrified as the Dalek slowly turned it eyestalk back at the Doctor, its gun lifting slightly. The Doctor's face had also changed, becoming serious as he recognized his old enemy emerging.

"Correct." The Dalek declared and Lily stepped up to the Doctor, clutching his arm in fear.

"Review testimony." The Dalek called to its fellow Dalek as it began to roll forward a little.

The Doctor frowned as they heard the Doctor's voice, recorded by the Dalek, being played back: "I am the Doctor. And you are the Daleks."

"Testimony." The Doctor said, confused. "What are you talking about, testimony?"

The Daleks ignored him as the second Dalek reported: "Transmitting testimony now."

Lily's hold on the Doctor tightened as the Doctor demanded: "Transmit what, where?"

The Daleks ignored them as the second Dalek then confirmed: "Testimony accepted."

The Doctor quickly raised his arms, wrapping one around Lily and pulling her behind him as he gestured the other arm to the others, ordering: "Get back, all of you."

Churchill shouted, sensing the danger: "Marines! Marines, get in here."

Lily glanced between the Dalek and the approaching sound of soldiers and she cried suddenly: "No, wait-!"

But it was too late as the Dalek fired its laser at the two soldiers just as they arrived through the doors. Churchill stared in horror as his men fell to the ground, dead and Amy gasped while the Doctor drew Lily closer behind him, holding her tightly.

"Stop it, stop it, please." Bracewell shouted, stepping forwards towards the Daleks. "What are you doing? You are my Ironsides."

The Daleks turned to him and the first one declared coldly: "We are the Daleks."

"But I created you." Bracewell protested and the Dalek replied: "No."

It fired a shot at the scientist and Lily screamed. But the shot only hit the man's lower arm. But Lily was horrified to see his forearm disintegrate in sparks, revealing a mechanical inside. Everyone in the room, Bracewell included, flinched in shock.

"We created you." The Dalek declared.

Amy had backed away in fear, and Churchill took a step back in shock while Lily clutched the Doctor's hand unconsciously, holding it so tightly her knuckles were white. He didn't complain, just rubbed her hands soothingly, albeit distractedly, as the Daleks cried triumphantly: "Victory. Victory. Victory."

They disappeared into thin air, leaving the group in a shocked state. Bracewell continued to stare at his arm, unable to believe his own eyes while Churchill was frozen by his place at the door. Amy asked slowly: "What just happened, Doctor?"

"I wanted to know what they wanted." He explained shakily. "What their plan was."

Amy glanced at him, eyes wide and confused while Lily gave him a small hug from behind, reassuringly. He held her arms around him as he said slowly in horror: "I was their plan."

She let him go and he glanced down at her. Lily squeezed his hand, knowing what he had to do, and he rushed out the door, Lily with him as their hands remained connected. Churchill watched them in surprise as they dashed past, and Amy called after them in shock: "Hey!"

But they were already gone and she groaned before she followed quickly. They ran through the base, heading into the filing room where the Tardis was, and the Doctor muttered as he thought aloud: "Testimony accepted. That's what they said. My testimony."

He let go of Lily's hand and began to unlock the Tardis as Amy caught up.

"Don't beat yourself up because you were right." Amy called. "So, what do we do?"

He glanced over his shoulder as Amy asked enthusiastically: "Is this what we do now? Chase after them?"

The Doctor turned to both girls as he said firmly: "This is what I do. yeah, and it's dangerous, so you two wait here."

Amy and Lily frowned, the former asking sarcastically as Churchill arrived behind them: "What, so you mean I've got to stay safe down here in the middle of the London Blitz?"

"Safe as it gets around me." The Doctor replied.

"I'm not staying here." Lily said flatly and he turned to her.

"Lily, I really don't have the time to beg." He insisted and she retorted: "So don't."

She pushed past him and into the Tardis determinedly. The Doctor sighed, but didn't fight it as he raised a hand to stop Amy from following. He pointed meaningfully at Churchill, silently ordering the man to look after his redheaded companion, before he disappeared into the Tardis after his brunette girl.

The Tardis wheezed as the Doctor took off quickly, leaving a frustrated Amy behind. Lily stood impatiently as the Doctor began to set scanners and pull levers, searching for the Daleks.

"Come on." He muttered and Lily hopped over just as the scanners picked up the ship.

"Bingo!" The Doctor declared gleefully, turning to Lily with a grin. She smiled but his dropped immediately as he suddenly took her face in his hands.

She blinked in surprise as he leaned forward and said seriously: "Lily, I want you to promise me that you will stay behind me, no matter what. Do you understand?"

She nodded, but before she could say anything he added, looking her in the eyes: "And if I tell you to run, you run into the Tardis and lock it. Don't wait for me, don't try to stop, you _run_. Do you understand?"

She frowned.

"Yes, but why? It's not like it does me any good if I leave you behind." She pointed out, and the Doctor said seriously: "Because I care more if you die. So promise me, you'll run if I tell you to."

She pursed her lips, gazing into his green eyes. His face remained very serious and she said at last: "I promise."

"Good." He smiled and kissed the top of her head.

She blinked in surprise, touching the spot, while he froze for just a tiny moment before he shook it off and began to land the Tardis, rubbing his hands gleefully.

"Geronimo." He said as he looked at her over the console, and Lily couldn't help but grin back at him as the Tardis wheezed.

* * *

The Doctor strolled into the Dalek spaceship, Lily right behind him, as he called: "How about that cuppa now, then?"

"It is the Doctor." The lead Dalek, painted in Gold, cried, and the second Dalek cried, rolling forward menacingly: "Exterminate-"

"Wait, wait, wait." The Doctor interrupted as he reached quickly into his jacket pocket.

He pulled out a Jammy Dodger biscuit as he said warningly: "I wouldn't if I were you. Tardis self-destruct, and you know what that means. My ship goes, you all go with it."

He threatened them very convincingly, all things considered; Lily had to say, she was impressed with the Doctor's acting skills because how he managed to say that with a straight face while holding a tea biscuit was beyond her.

The Dalek from Earth replied: "You would not use such a device and harm your companion."

"Try me." The Doctor challenged. One of the Daleks began to roll forward and the Doctor called warningly: "Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. No scans. No nothing."

The Dalek paused and he continued: "One move and I'll destroy us all, you got that? Tardis bang bang, Daleks boom!" He added descriptively, and the Dalek slid back into its original position.

"Good boy." The Doctor nodded approvingly.

As the Dalek settled, the Doctor wandered around a little, keeping Lily tightly beside him, and carefully keeping her positioned behind him and out of the Dalek line of fire as he looked around.

He commented: "This ship's pretty beaten up. Running on empty, I'd say, like you." He looked at the Daleks pointedly. "When we last met, you were at the end of your rope. Finished."

He wandered back to stand before the Daleks as the second Dalek replied: "One ship survived."

"And you fell back through time, yes." The Doctor finished impatiently.

"Crippled, dying." He taunted, and the first Dalek replied: "We picked up a trace. One of the Progenitor devices."

"Progenitor?" The Doctor repeated questioningly.

He carefully kept his arm around Lily, keeping her shielded as he asked: "What's that when it's at home?"

The Dalek replied: "It is our past, and our future."

Lily frowned at that while the Doctor's brows raised and he commented: "Oh? That's deep. That is deep for a Dalek. What does it mean, though?"

"It contains pure Dalek DNA." The Gold Dalek explained. "Thousands were created. All were lost, save one."

"Okay, but there's still one thing I don't get, though." The Doctor mused aloud. "If you've got the Progenitor, why build Bracewell?"

"It was necessary." The first Dalek replied, almost evasively, and the Doctor frowned as he asked pointedly: "But why?"

As the Daleks hesitated a little, the Doctor's face suddenly cleared and he murmured: "I get it. Oh, I get it. I get it. Oh ho!"

He laughed mockingly, clapping his hands together as he cried: "This is rich. The Progenitor wouldn't recognise you, would it? It saw you as impure. Your DNA is unrecognisable as Dalek."

He chuckled, while Lily clutched the back of his tweed jacket worriedly. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to the Doctor's random mood swings.

"A solution was devised." The Dalek retorted and the Doctor said dismissively: "Yes, yes, yes. Me."

The Doctor began to pace, thinking aloud but always making sure Lily was well-shielded behind him as he continued: "My testimony. So you set a trap. You knew that the Progenitor would recognise me, the Daleks' greatest enemy."

Lily suddenly noticed one of the Daleks rolling towards a central machine.

"It would accept my word. My recognition of you." The Doctor continued, and Lily gently elbowed him, nodding at the Dalek.

He saw it and said quickly, holding up his biscuit threateningly: "No. No, no. What are you doing?"

"Withdraw now, Doctor," The Gold Dalek ordered, "or the city dies in flames."

"Who are you kidding?" The Doctor retorted scornfully. "This ship is a wreck. You don't have the power to destroy London."

"Watch as the humans destroy themselves." The Dalek retorted and the Doctor's face became alarmed.

"Oh, no." Lily gasped.

"Doctor, the lights. The lights of London." She said urgently and the Doctor ordered the Daleks sharply: "Turn those lights off now. Turn London off," he lifted his biscuit as he snarled dangerously: "or I swear I will use the Tardis self destruct."

Lily was clutching his back in horror. ' _Amy's down there.'_ She thought desperately. The Dalek meanwhile retorted: "Stalemate, Doctor. Leave us and return to Earth."

"Oh, that's it." The Doctor scoffed. "That's your great victory? You leave?"

"Extinction is not an option." The Dalek replied in its flat voice. "We shall return to our own time and begin again."

"No, no, no." The Doctor snapped. "I won't let you get away this time. I won't."

There was a strange mechanical sound and then several low beeps at regular intervals. Lily gripped the Doctor as he glanced around with narrowed eyes. The Dalek crowed: "We have succeeded."

The Daleks rolled to the sides, moving aside from the machine in the back of the room as they cried: "DNA reconstruction is complete."

The lights on the machine began to glow red, and the Doctor held Lily tighter in apprehension while she peaked around his shoulder as the doors slid open, revealing a thick layer of smoke. The machine flashed and sparked, giving off white glares and the Dalek cried: "Observe, Doctor, a new Dalek paradigm."

Lily's hand was clenching the Doctor's jacket back tightly as an eyestalk appeared through the smoke. The rest of the Dalek rolled out, revealing a white colored Dalek. It was shaped a little differently, with a slightly smaller headpiece and slimmer design, but with the same rounded bulbs down its body, the horrific eyestalk, the ray gun and the plunger-like arm.

Behind the white one came a dark blue Dalek, followed by an orange, and then a yellow, and finally a red Dalek, the five new Daleks forming a triangular formation as they faced the Doctor and Lily. The Doctor lifted his head defiantly against the new Daleks as the old Dalek declared: "The Progenitor has fulfilled our new destiny. Behold, the restoration of the Daleks."

Lily's breathed came harder and the Doctor's eyes narrowed a little as they stared at the new Daleks.

"The resurrection of the master race." The Dalek cried triumphantly. "All hail the new Daleks. All hail the new Daleks."

The Doctor's lips were a thin line as the white Dalek turned its eyestalk to the old Dalek and said in a deeper but equally cold voice: "Yes, you are inferior."

Lily shivered a little in a mix of disgust and anxiety, and the Doctor tightened his hand on hers around his waist, his eyes wide as he watched the interaction.

"Yes." The Dalek replied and the white Dalek stated: "Then prepare."

"We are ready." The old Daleks replied at once and the new Daleks turned to face the old Daleks as the white Dalek ordered: "Cleanse the unclean."

Lily's eyes widened in disbelief as the white Dalek cried: "Total obliteration. Disintegrate."

Lily gave a small gasp as the new Daleks blasted the old Daleks with their lasers, completely exterminating them and causing them to break into particles and disappear. The Doctor's brows had also shot up, and as the last old Dalek was blasted he muttered: "Blimey."

He turned to the new Daleks and asked sarcastically: "What do you do to the ones who mess up?"

The white Dalek rolled forward a little, and the pair tensed as it stated: "You are the Doctor and his companion."

The other Daleks also rolled forward towards them as the white one declared: "You must be exterminated."

The Doctor simply held up his biscuit as he said coldly: "Don't mess with me, sweetheart."

Lily glanced from the biscuit to the new Daleks, and sighed internally.

 _'We're doomed.'_ She thought wryly.

*A/N Hi everyone, I'm really sorry but things are starting to look really busy for me. I'll continue to update weekly, but unfortunately, I do not think I can keep uploading two chapters per week on my stories. Sorry, but I hope you understand!


	9. 3-3 Stalemate

The white Dalek stated coldly: "We are the paradigm of a new Dalek race."

It began to introduce its comrades as the Doctor raised his brows: "Scientist, Strategist, Drone, Eternal, and the Supreme."

"Which would be you, I'm guessing." The Doctor interjected with a frown.

He gestured at them as he rambled, keeping Lily pressed to him as the Dalek was a little too close for comfort: "Well, you know, nice paint job. I'd be feeling pretty swish if I looked like you. Pretty supreme." He mocked, but he was tense.

Lily was as well, glancing around at the Daleks warily as the Doctor continued: "Question is, what do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow you and your new paradigm into eternity."

"And yourself and your companion." The white Dalek pointed out.

The Doctor shrugged.

"Occupational hazard." He said flatly, but then the blue Dalek suddenly piped up: "Scan reveals nothing."

Lily winced, knowing they were caught.

"Tardis self destruct device non-existent." The blue Dalek reported and the Doctor bit into his biscuit defiantly as he mumbled around his mouthful of biscuit: "All right, it's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea."

Lily sighed in exasperation, but thankfully they were saved as an alarm went off in the spaceship. The blue Dalek called: "Alert. Unidentified projectile approaching."

The Doctor and Lily glanced around, confused, as the blue Dalek added as it examined the ship's monitors: "Correction, multiple projectiles."

The Doctor turned around and darted to the back monitors behind him and Lily. Keeping Lily pressed in front of him, he leant over her to check the monitors himself, Lily peering at it as well. Her heart leapt as she saw the red dots appearing on the screen, indicating something approaching and circling the Dalek ship.

"What have the humans done?" The white Dalek demanded, turning back to the pair, and the Doctor shrugged as he admitted: "I don't know."

Lily tensed as the white Dalek ordered: "Explain. Explain. Explain."

Lily glanced back to see the white Dalek pointing its gun at the Doctor.

"Doctor." She warned, but then a voice rang over the ship's communicator.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor."

Lily and the Doctor's head's jerked up, their ears perking.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Are you receiving me? Over."

The Doctor spun around, staring up and he crowed: "Oh ho! Winston, you beauty!"

Lily smiled as the pilot called again: "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Come in. Over."

The Doctor shouted so that his voice would be carried through the ship's communicators: "Loud and clear, Danny Boy."

He dragged Lily with him, trying to keep as much of her shielded as possible as he backed away, through the Daleks, ordering: "Big dish, side of the ship. Blow it up. Over."

"Exterminate the Doctor and his companion." The white Dalek ordered and the Doctor pulled Lily into a run as the Daleks began to fire at them just as they reached the doors. They sprinted down to the Tardis, the Doctor hanging on to Lily's hand and urging her along to match his pace as they ran.

"It must've been Bracewell!" Lily cried happily as they reached the Tardis, the Doctor having to pause to open the door.

"His ingenious ideas- those gravity bubbles!" She added breathlessly and the Doctor grinned.

He opened the door and ushered her in quickly as he agreed: "Yes, it must've been. Oh ho, I love this!"

He cried as he dashed to the console: "The humans able to strike back because of the intelligence the Daleks provided themselves! The beauty of it."

He clicked on the Tardis communicators so that they could listen in again. Their glee turned to worry pretty quickly, and Lily clutched the Doctor's arm in sorrow as they lost first one, and then another pilot. It appeared the shield was still active around the dish, and Danny Boy called to them directly: "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Only me left now. Anything you can do, sir? Over."

The Doctor's lips were pursed thoughtfully before he picked up the mic for the com and he replied seriously: "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over."

"Good show, Doctor." The good pilot replied hopefully. "Go to it. Over."

The Doctor lowered the com slowly, his head bowed. Lily rubbed his arm soothingly and he glanced at her. She smiled, grimly but reassuringly and he nodded giving her a small smile in return before his face became determined. He straightened his back and began twirling dials and pulling levers quickly.

"Come on." He muttered. "Come on."

"You can do it." Lily said calmly, encouraging him. He glanced at her and she smiled.

"I believe in you." She told him sincerely and the Doctor's eyes softened for a moment before he turned back to his work.

Lily tensed a little as they heard Danny Boy calling: "I'm going in. Wish me luck. Over."

Lily watched anxiously, but she didn't need to hear how it went. The Tardis rocked as the Dalek spaceship shook from the blast, and Lily laughed delightedly as Danny Boy declared triumphantly: "Direct hit! Over!"

Lily leapt at the Doctor, hugging him briefly but tightly. The Doctor returned the embrace in relief, but they broke apart quickly as Danny Boy called: "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Going in for another attack."

The Doctor quickly grabbed the com as he ordered: "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Destroy this ship. Over."

"What about you, Doctor?" Danny Boy asked, and the Doctor grinned at Lily as he replied confidently: "I'll be okay."

Lily grinned but it changed to a yelp of alarm as the white Dalek appeared on their round monitor.

"Doctor," it said threateningly, "call off your attack."

"Ah ha." The Doctor scoffed. "What," he strolled over towards the monitor as he sneered, "and let you scuttle off back to the future? No fear. This is the end for you. The final end."

His voice was dark as he finished, but the white Dalek warned: "Call off the attack, or we will destroy the Earth."

Even Lily had to snort at that, and the Doctor nodded in agreement with her as he pointed out with a grim smile: "I'm not stupid, mate. You've just played your last card."

But Lily's heart stopped as the white Dalek played its real final card. "Bracewell is a bomb."

Lily's face paled and the smile dropped off the Doctor's face.

"You're bluffing." The Doctor said flatly, refusing to believe the Dalek.

"Deception's second nature to you. There isn't a sincere bone in your body. There isn't a bone in your body." The Doctor added, sounding confused as he went on a different tangent, and Lily gave him a pointed look.

But they were forced back to the situation as the white Dalek said: "His power is derived from an Oblivion Continuum."

Lily didn't know what that was, but she was willing to bet it wasn't good. The Doctor's chest began to heave a little as he struggled to stay calm against his racing hearts. The white Dalek threatened: "Call off your attack, or we will detonate the android."

"No." The Doctor said frantically as he turned away from the monitor. "This is my best chance ever."

Lily watched anxiously as he dashed to the console, saying in agitation: "The last of the Daleks. I can rid the Universe of you," he grabbed the smaller monitor on the console and spat at the Dalek "once and for all."

"Then do it." The white Dalek challenged. It added its promise: "But we will shatter the planet below. The Earth will die screaming."

The Doctor's eyes had filled with angry and desperate tears as he said faintly: "Yeah, and if I let you go, you'll be stronger than ever. A new race of Daleks."

"Then choose, Doctor." The white Dalek goaded.

"Destroy the Daleks. Or save the Earth. Begin countdown of Oblivion Continuum." It ordered and the Doctor's face became cold.

Lily was unsure what to say - she wanted to save her planet, but these creatures were the Doctor's oldest enemies. She couldn't force him to choose them over destroying what were possibly the most evil creatures she'd encountered.

The white Dalek taunted: "Choose, Doctor. Choose. Choose."

The Doctor stared at the monitor, his eyes filled with hate and despair. His fingers itched, and for one very brief second, he was tempted to choose the Daleks.

But then he glanced at Lily, where she was trying her hardest to look neutral so as not to burden him, but he knew how to read her. He took in her pale face, the teeth marks on her lips from where's she'd been chewing just moments before. And he looked at her bright hazel eyes, the eyes he loved most in all the universe, the eyes of an innocent and caring human woman.

And he knew, no matter how much he hated the Daleks, he couldn't give up Lily to see them destroyed. And that cinched his choice. Glaring at the monitor once more briefly, he picked up his com and said in a low voice: "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw."

Lily's eyes widened as Danny Boy asked incredulously: "Say again, sir. Over."

"Withdraw." The Doctor repeated urgently. "Return to Earth. Over and out."

"But sir-" Danny Boy protested but the Doctor cut in sharply: "There's no time. You have to return to Earth now. Over."

The Doctor quickly began to twirl dials and levers as Lily ran up to him.

"Are you sure?" She asked worriedly and he glanced at her.

"Yes." He affirmed, pulling a lever sharply and the Tardis wheezed as they dematerialized.

"You're letting them escape." Lily pointed out and he asked sharply: "Are you saying you want me to let the Earth explode?"

She shook her head quickly, backing away a little as she said hastily: "Of course not, but," her voice softened, "I'm just making sure you didn't do something you'll regret."

That almost made him smile, because it reminded him of how she used to comfort him. But he was grim as he replied seriously: "I'll always regret letting them go. It's just I would regret it more if I let the Earth burn."

Lily nodded and as the Tardis wheezed once more, indicating their arrival, she suddenly leaned up, following her impulsive urge, and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." She breathed as he blinked in shock. Lily turned and ran out the doors quickly, and the Doctor quickly brushed aside his shock for now as he followed. He had to focus on saving Earth, again.

But that quick, almost shy kiss had given him energy and it was with renewed determination that he raced past Lily at the map room doors, reaching Bracewell first. And punched the man straight in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Doctor!" Lily scolded as she ran in after him.

Everyone had gasped in shock and Amy also called in surprise: "Doctor!"

"Ow." The Doctor complained as he shook his hand, wincing in pain.

He added to Bracewell: "Sorry, Professor, you're a bomb. An inconceivably massive Dalek bomb."

"What?" Bracewell asked incredulously while Lily cried: "That's not how you should have told him!"

"Too late now." The Doctor retorted as he knelt down beside Bracewell, explaining quickly: "There's an Oblivion Continuum inside you. A captured wormhole that provides perpetual power."

Bracewell whimpered while Amy's mouth fell open. "Detonate that, and the Earth will bleed through into another dimension."

With that he pulled out his screwdriver and ripped open the man's shirt.

"Now keep down." The Doctor ordered before he soniced the man's chest, causing the skin on his chest to open up to reveal Bracewell's real torso- a metallic chest with a circular disk where his heart should be. The disk was a light blue and divided into five sections. But even as they watched, one section began to change color, turning yellow, and indicating the start of the countdown.

"Well?" Amy asked desperately as she and Lily bent over to watch, and Bracewell glanced at his chest in horror and fear while the Doctor raised his sonic, flicking it frantically as he murmured: "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Never seen one up close before."

He pointed his sonic at it to test it while Amy shrieked: "So what, they've wired him up to detonate?"

"Oh no," the Doctor corrected quickly, "not wired him up. He is a bomb. Walking, talking, pow, exploding, the moment that flashes red."

Bracewell was beginning to shake in fear, and Lily snapped at the Doctor: "Can't you be a little more sympathetic?"

"Fate of the world at stake, sympathy is rather low on my list right now." The Doctor retorted as he ran his hand through his hair anxiously.

Lily bit her lip while Amy chimed in: "There's a blue wire or something you have to cut, isn't there?"

The Doctor looked up hopefully as she went on: "There's always a blue wire… Or a red one." She added in defeat and the Doctor said flatly: "You're not helping."

The Doctor turned on the spot, trying to think while Churchill said in amazement: "It's incredible. He talked to us about his memories. The Great War."

The Doctor replied distractedly: "Someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted in a positronic brain."

But that sparked an idea and he snapped his fingers as he ordered: "Tell me about it. Bracewell. Tell me about your life."

Bracewell was on the brink of hyperventilating but he managed to answer with forced calm: "Doctor, I really don't think this is the time."

"Tell me," The Doctor said sincerely but urgently, "and prove you're human."

Lily's brows shot up at that, although it then changed to alarm as the yellow section turned red. The Doctor's eyes widened but he continued seriously: "Tell me everything."

Bracewell thought about it and he began in a shaky voice: "My family ran the Post Office. It's a little place," the next section turned yellow, "just near the abbey, just by the ash trees. There used to be eight trees but there was a storm."

The Doctor interrupted anxiously, trying to dig up deep emotions: "And your parents? Come on, tell me."

Bracewell struggled to reply as he stumbled: "Good people. Kind people. They died. Scarlet fever."

The Doctor quickly jumped on it as he asked: "What was that like? How did it feel?"

The man's eyes teared up, but he couldn't reply and the Doctor urged impatiently: "How did it make you feel, Edwin? Tell me. Tell me now."

"It hurt." Bracewell moaned, sobbing a little. "It hurt, Doctor, it hurt so badly."

Amy covered her mouth while Lily's eyes clouded with tears. Her own pain - her parents' deaths, waking up one morning to find Rose and Jackie were lost - came back like a raw wound as Bracewell moaned sorrowfully: "It was like a wound. I though it was worse than a wound." But his chest section had still turned red and the third section was now yellow too. "Like I'd been emptied out. There was nothing left."

The Doctor tried to encourage him as he said: "Good. Remember it now, Edwin. The ash trees by the Post Office and your mum and dad, and losing them, and men in the trenches you saw die."

Amy and Lily frowned a little as the Doctor rambled: "Remember it. Feel it. You feel it because you're human." The section was turning a deep orange. "You're not like them. You're not like the Daleks."

"It hurts, Doctor. It hurts so much." Bracewell gasped and the Doctor encouraged: "Good. Good, good, brilliant."

But Lily thinned her lips, thoughtful. The Doctor continued, rambling desperately: "Embrace it. That means you're alive."

The section turned red and the next section turned yellow, and Lily stepped forward.

"They cannot explode that bomb because you're a human being. You are flesh and blood. They cannot explode that bomb."

Amy stepped after Lily hesitantly.

"Believe it. You are Professor Edwin Bracewell, and you, my friend, are a human being." The Doctor tried, but the fourth section had turned red, and the Doctor was dismayed.

"It's not working. I can't stop it." He whispered to Lily frantically, but Lily was leaning down by Bracewell's head.

"Professor," she murmured and he glanced at her startled, "have you ever been in love?"

The Doctor glanced at her in surprise, but Lily was focused on Bracewell, who murmured: "Oh, er…"

"Come on, Paisley" Amy added encouragingly. "Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?"

"What?" Bracewell squeaked, but he blushed.

Both Amy and Lily smiled softly, and Lily asked kindly: "It hurts, doesn't it? But kind of a good hurt."

She didn't notice but the last section had faded to a light yellow at her words. Amy saw, however, and knew they were on the right track.

Bracewell murmured shyly: "I really shouldn't talk about her."

"Oh. There's a her." Amy prompted, her brow arched. Bracewell smiled a little, embarrassed but happy. The yellow section became blue and the Doctor stared at the girls with wonder.

"What was her name?" The Doctor asked, catching on, and Bracewell sighed.

"Dorabella." He murmured lovingly, and the Doctor repeated a bit contemptuously: "Dorabella?"

He caught sight of Lily's face as she turned to him disapprovingly, and he quickly amended: "It's a lovely name. It's a beautiful name."

Lily drew Bracewell's attention again as she asked: "What was she like, Edwin?"

She carefully chose to use the man's first name, knowing he'd feel more connected that way. And he did- he sighed contently and his eyes became dreamy as he said softly: "Oh, such a smile."

The Doctor started a little, and slowly his eyes moved to Lily. She didn't notice, focused on Bracewell as he continued: "And her eyes." The Doctor stared at Lily's intently. "Her eyes were so blue. Almost violet, like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world."

Amy glanced down to see every one of the sections were blue, but one. But as Bracewell's face broke into a peaceful smile, the last section turned blue as well, just as the man said, his voice caressing the name lovingly: "Dorabella."

The Doctor had been staring at Lily as he listened to Bracewell, so he hadn't seen. But when Amy nudged him slyly, he glanced down and then his eyes lit up. The Doctor murmured: Welcome to the human race."

Lily was startled at his comment and looked down at the scientist's chest, her eyes wide. She lifted her head, eyes shining and the three friends shared a joyful smile. The Doctor turned suddenly, snapping his fingers and pointing at Churchill.

"You're brilliant." He declared, and Churchill blinked in surprise, but the Doctor had already turned back to Bracewell as he said: "You're brilliant."

Bracewell chuckled a little. The Doctor turned to Amy and said: "You're brilliant."

She grinned, but it slipped a little as the Doctor turned to Lily.

"And you. I…" He couldn't even express himself and he flailed his hands a little before grabbing her face and kissing her forehead.

She laughed at him, and he shot up as he said hurriedly: "Now. Got to stop them. Stop the Daleks."

He made to dash out the door but Bracewell called: "Wait, Doctor."

He heaved himself up and the Doctor paused, turning to look back as the man called: "Wait, wait."

Bracewell looked the Doctor straight on as he told him sadly: "It's too late."

The Doctor walked back inside slowly as Bracewell told him: "Gone. They've gone."

"No." The Doctor said, his hands beginning to clench into fists and he shouted in a mix of anger and anguish: "No! They can't. They can't have got away from me again."

"No, I can feel it." Bracewell explained sadly. "My mind is clear. The Daleks have gone."

The Doctor reeled a little, his eyes wide with disappointment and a deep despair. Lily walked over, touching his arm and he glanced at her. She examined him worriedly and his shoulders sagged in resignation when Amy said brightly, trying to cheer him up: "Doctor, it's okay. You did it. You stopped the bomb."

But as he just sagged sadly, she asked concernedly: "Doctor?"

The Doctor slowly spoke, explaining to them what Lily already knew: "I had a choice. And they knew I'd choose the Earth. The Daleks have won."

He swallowed, and continued in a hollow voice: "They beat me. They've won."

Lily rubbed his arm soothingly and when he looked down at her she pointed out: "But you saved the Earth. Not too shabby."

He peered down at her, examining her eyes. And once again, he found his reason to continue, and the reason he couldn't truly regret losing to the Daleks. Because if winning meant paying with Lily's world, he would rather not win.

So the Doctor smiled a little, and although it was still tinged with some sadness, he admitted: "No, it's not too shabby."

Lily beamed while Amy arched a brow, a little jealous. Churchill interjected: "It's a brilliant achievement, my dear friend. Here, have a cigar."

He lifted the item in question, and the Doctor grimaced a little as he replied softly: "No."

Lily smiled and impulsively hugged the Doctor, and he pulled her in closer. He knew there were lines he shouldn't cross now when she couldn't remember their previous relationship, but he couldn't help himself from burying his face into her brown locks, feeling the familiar tickle and breathing the familiar scent.

* * *

The next morning was a new day for the soldiers, and Amy was with Churchill while Lily helped the Doctor. They'd just finished and were just walking into the map room as Churchill asked: "Where's the Doctor?"

"Tying up loose ends." He called. Amy looked over and smiled at Lily who grinned back, as the Doctor continued: "I've taken out all the alien tech Bracewell put in."

Churchill sighed as he pleaded: "Won't you reconsider, Doctor? Those Spitfires would win me the war in twenty hours."

"Exactly." The Doctor pointed out as he picked up the tea Amy had readied for her friends.

Lily smiled as she took her cup with a grateful nod at the redhead while Churchill whined: "But why not? Why can't we put an end to all this misery?"

"Oh, it doesn't work like that, Winston," The Doctor chided good-naturedly, "and it's going to be tough."

He placed his cup down as he said seriously: "There are terrible days to come. The darkest days. But you can do it. You know you can."

He encouraged and Churchill suggested: "Stay with us, and help us win through. The world needs you." He added and the Doctor chuckled: "The world doesn't need me."

"No?" Churchill asked as he raised his brows, and the Doctor smiled as he replied sincerely: "The world's got Winston Spencer Churchill."

Churchill chuckled at that while the girls grinned. Churchill said at last: "It's been a pleasure, Doctor, as always."

"Too right." The Doctor teased.

Churchill opened his arms and the Doctor laughed as he reached in and hugged his friend.

"Goodbye, Doctor." Churchill said and the Doctor said half-teasingly: "Oh, shall we say adieu?"

Churchill smiled.

"Indeed." He agreed before they broke apart.

He turned to Amy as the Doctor picked up his tea once more, and Churchill said sincerely: "Goodbye, Miss Pond."

Amy chuckled as she shook his hand, saying admiringly: "It's, it's been amazing, meeting you."

"I'm sure it has." Churchill teased and Amy laughed.

Amy chuckled and then leaned in to kiss Churchill's cheek. He then turned to Lily and said heartily: "Goodbye, Miss Tyler."

"Goodbye. It's been an honour, sir." Lily said sincerely as she shook the man's hand.

He chortled as he replied: "Oh, I don't know. I think the honour's mine, meeting the Doctor's special someone."

The Doctor choked on his tea while Lily blinked in surprise. Amy felt that twinge of jealousy once more, but she quickly tried to shove it aside. Lily meanwhile had flushed with embarrassment, and she began: "Er, that, I'm not…"

"Er, she's not-" The Doctor chimed in quickly at the same time, but Churchill cut in: "I know, I know."

He peered up at the Doctor through his glasses as he added pointedly: "Not yet, no?"

The Doctor avoided looking at his friend, opting to sip his tea as he looked somewhere above Churchill's head. Lily looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or hide, as Churchill turned and began to walk away.

"Goodbye, Doctor." He called, and Lily remembered something.

She was about to say something when Amy called with a grin: "Oi, Churchill."

The man turned expectantly, and Amy raised her hand, gesturing as she ordered: "Tardis key. The one you just took from the Doctor."

The Doctor looked surprised as he searched his pocket quickly and Churchill chuckled as he complimented: "Oh, she's good, Doctor. They both are."

He raised his brows, looking at Lily pointedly to show he knew she'd been aware as well, and Lily smiled sheepishly. He held up the key as he added: "As sharp as a pin."

He handed the key to Amy as he finished with a chuckle: "Almost as sharp as me."

He lit another cigar and said in a final farewell: "K.B.O."

Churchill left, and the Doctor held out his hand expectantly. Amy looked at it and rolled her eyes before handing him his key back grudgingly. Lily also made a face, but the Doctor just grinned at them as he led the pair off with him for one more final goodbye.

* * *

As they walked into the lab, Bracewell said, his back turned to them: "I've been expecting you, Doctor. I knew this moment had to come."

They stopped a little behind the sorrowful man, and the Doctor asked in confusion: "Moment?"

"It's time to de-activate me." Bracewell said seriously, and he began to turn around as the Doctor asked: "Is it? Oh. Er," he began as he realized, and he glanced at the girls. The trio shared conspiratorial looks and he added hastily: "yeah."

Bracewell went on bravely as he looked at the Doctor: "You have no choice. I'm Dalek technology. Can't allow me to go pottering around down here where I have no business."

"No, you're dead right, Professor." The Doctor agreed quickly. "A hundred percent right. And," he glanced at the girls, "by the time I get back here in what," he narrowed his eyes a little, "ten minutes?"

He guessed and Amy suggested as she looked at Bracewell pointedly: "More like fifteen."

"Fifteen minutes, yeah," the Doctor agreed quickly, "that's exactly what I'm going to do. You are going to be so de-activated." He rambled. "It's going be like you've never even been… activated."

Lily suppressed a snort of laughter and the Doctor gave a small wince while Amy quickly agreed: "Yeah."

Bracewell asked confused but determined: "Fifteen minutes?"

"More like twenty, if I'm honest." The Doctor said quickly. "Once Pond, Lily and I see to the urgent thing-"

"Yes." Amy agreed quickly, and Lily nodded emphatically as the Doctor carried on: "We've got to see to. The, the…"

He couldn't think of anything so he looked at Bracwell, hoping the man could get the hint.

"See?" He asked and Bracewell nodded.

"Very well, Doctor. I shall wait here and prepare myself." He said as he sat down resignedly.

"That Dalek tech a bit slow on the uptake." Amy muttered to the Doctor and Lily, before she spoke louder, letting it become more obvious as she said: "That thing we've got to do, going to take half an hour, realistically, isn't it, Doctor?"

She looked at Bracewell pointedly, and he gave her a confused look.

"More like, say an hour." Lily added pointedly, and the Doctor agreed: "Easily. So no running off, that's what I'm saying."

The Doctor looked at Bracewell pointedly and the man looked absolutely bewildered as the Doctor said suggestively: "Don't go trying to find that little Post Office with the ash trees or that girl. What was her name?"

"Dorabella." Bracewell answered slowly and the Doctor said sternly: "Dorabella. On no account go looking for her."

He then smiled as he hinted: "Mind you, you can get a lot done in an hour."

Finally a look of understanding dawned on Bracewell's face, and he laughed. They all laughed, the Doctor saying cheerily: "Ye-hey!"

"Thank you." Bracewell said happily. "Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor lifted his hands before saying lightly: "Lily. Come along, Pond."

He left and the girls gave Bracewell one more smile before they followed the Doctor out.

* * *

As they finally made their way to the Tardis, Amy began: "So, you have enemies then?"

Lily smiled while the Doctor scoffed: "Everyone's got enemies."

"Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell." Amy pointed out.

The Doctor paused and he leant on the Tardis as Amy hinted: "You've got, like, you know, arch-enemies."

She and Lily leant on the Tardis doors as well, as the Doctor replied thoughtfully: "Suppose so."

Lil smiled a little while Amy said thoughtfully: "And here's me thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's dangerous."

"Yep. Very. Is that a problem?" The Doctor asked, and Amy shrugged.

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Amy pointed out. "And Lily."

She nodded at her friend who grinned.

"If you were trying to scare me off, it hasn't worked yet." She agreed and the Doctor chuckled a little.

The girls watched him, and Amy said slowly: "You're worried about the Daleks."

"I'm always worried about the Daleks." The Doctor replied lightly, but there was the hint of darkness there.

Amy asked, trying to be see the bright side: "It'll take time though, won't it? I mean, there's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up."

The Doctor abruptly turned, beginning to unlock the Tardis as he murmured: "It's not that. There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you two have."

He looked at them, and the girls frowned. But Lily had become pensive while Amy asked defensively: "Me?"

"You didn't know them, neither of you." The Doctor explained. "You'd never seen them before. And you should have done. You should."

He paused and decided to go out on a limb.

He looked Lily straight in the eye as he told her: "And I know you definitely did, Lily."

Her eyes widened, but the Doctor had stepped into the Tardis. The girls exchanged looks, puzzled, before they slowly followed the Doctor inside. As the Tardis dematerialized, the trio once again missed something. A small crack in the wall behind where the Tardis had been, identical to the one in Amy's childhood.

*A/N Dum dum dum~ and yes, that is a major clue as to why Lily can't remember the Doctor even after reuniting with him ;)


	10. 4-1 The Time of Angels

The trio walked through the museum, the Doctor pointing to each display case label as he called: "Wrong. Wrong. Bit right, mostly wrong."

Lily and Amy followed behind, the former curious while the latter was bored.

"I love museums." The Doctor declared as he spun around excitedly.

Lily's lips twitched as she suppressed a smile at that comment, but she outright snorted as Amy complained: "Yeah, great. Can we go to a planet now? Big space ship? Churchill's bunker? You promised me a planet next."

"Amy, this isn't any old asteroid." The Doctor explained patiently. "It's the Delerium Archive, the final resting place of the headless monks."

Lily blinked. _Headless monks?_ The Doctor finished as he spread out his arms dramatically: "The biggest museum ever."

Lily giggled as Amy whined: "You've got a time machine. What do you need museums for?"

"What do you think? He likes showing off." Lily told her.

Amy looked at her friend puzzled and then turned back to the Doctor as he ignored them, continuing to go through museum exhibits. He suddenly declared loudly: "Wrong. Very wrong."

He wagged a finger at the offending exhibit before he spotted something and said eagerly: "Oooh, one of mine. Also one of mine."

Amy's eyes lit up as she finally understood and she smiled. "Oh, I see. It's how you keep score."

"Show-off." Lily reminded as she glanced up at the Doctor. He was, however examining a cube sitting in the next exhibit case, and the girls came over to look at it curiously, wondering what had drawn his attention.

Lily peered at it, wondering why the Doctor was examining the cube so intently while Amy said sarcastically: "Oh great, an old box."

"It's from one of the old starliners." The Doctor explained.

"A Home Box." He said slowly, and Amy asked: "What's a Home Box?"

She and Lily listened curiously as the Doctor told them: "Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home with all the flight data."

Amy asked, bored while Lily frowned: "So?"

"What's the writing say? How come the Tardis isn't translating it?" Lily interrupted, and the Doctor snapped his fingers at her happily.

"See, someone gets it." He said pointedly and Amy pouted.

"The writing," The Doctor explained, "the graffiti." He corrected and Lily raised her brows. "Old High Gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords."

Lily frowned.

"I thought you were the only one left?" She said, puzzled.

The Doctor went on dreamily, ignoring her: "There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple gods."

"What does it say?" Amy asked impatiently.

The Doctor paused, and he almost seemed to grit his teeth in annoyance for a moment before he finally told them flatly: "Hello, sweeties."

Lily and Amy blinked in surprise and then alarm as the Doctor suddenly broke the glass to the case and snatched up the box. An alarm immediately began to sound, and the girls ran with the Doctor as he sprinted through the museum carrying the box.

"Did you have to steal it?" Lily cried as guards came chasing after them. They dashed into the Tardis, slamming the door behind them just in time.

The Doctor quickly began to connect the box to the console, and Amy asked in confusion: "Why are we doing this?"

The Doctor replied: "Because someone on a spaceship 1,200 years ago is trying to attract my attention."

"And you don't know who it is?" Lily asked curiously, and the Doctor paused for a moment before he said slowly and little darkly: "I have a good guess."

He finished setting the cube as he added: "Let's see if we can get the security playback working."

The Tardis monitor fizzled before it cleared to show a black and white playback security footage of a woman dressed in black evening dress, her hair curled stylistically and she was wearing black sunglasses. Which seemed normal-ish except she was also carrying a gun.

They stared as the woman lowered her glasses, and stared straight at the camera, giving them a wink before she walked off. The Doctor glanced at Lily quickly before he twiddled with the box and the footage changed to show another camera view, showing the woman standing by a closed circular door.

"The party's over, Dr. Song." A man's voice said, and the woman turned to the camera.

"Yet still you're on board." The man continued and the woman replied flirtatiously: "Sorry, Alistair. I needed to see what was in your vault."

Her expression suddenly turned sly as she asked: "Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination."

Lily's eyes widened.

' _What does that mean?'_ She wondered, and they listened as the man's voice said calmly: "Wait till she runs. Don't make it look like an execution."

Lily was alarmed, but woman stayed calm as she called: "Triple seven five slash three four nine by ten zero twelve slash acorn."

Immediately, the Doctor dashed to the console's keyboard, typing into it as the woman added lightly: "Oh, and I could do with an air corridor."

Amy asked the Doctor, peering closer at the monitor curiously: "What was that? What did she say?"

"Coordinates." The Doctor cried in explanation.

Lily was watching in awe as the woman said calmly, staring presumably at the man: "Like I said on the dance floor, you might want to find something to hang on to." She suggested before she blew a kiss to the camera.

The door opened behind her and she flew out just as the camera cut. Lily turned around as the Tardis wheezed, the Doctor dashing to the doors. She watched as he flung them open and extended a hand out, and the woman from the footage came flying in, toppling onto the Doctor and landing them in a very compromising position.

Lily's heart clenched a little and she blinked in surprise at her own reaction, while Amy folded her arms as she asked suspiciously: "Doctor?"

The Doctor didn't notice as he asked the woman: "River?"

The woman pushed off him, and ordered quickly as she turned and pointed to the disappearing spaceship flying away from the Tardis: "Follow that ship."

Lily stared, unsure of how what she was feeling as the woman dashed passed to the console. River tossed her heels onto the monitor handles as she watched the screen, keeping an eye on the other spaceship as the Doctor drove, pulling levers and pressing various buttons.

"They've gone into warp drive." River said sharply. "We're losing them. Stay close."

"I'm trying." The Doctor snapped back.

He pulled a few more levers and River ordered as the Tardis rocked: "Use the stabilisers."

"There aren't any stabilisers." The Doctor yelled in exasperation but River snapped: "The blue switches."

"Oh, the blue ones don't do anything," The Doctor said defiantly, "they're just… blue."

"Yes, they're blue." River said in exasperation. "Look, they're the blue stabilisers."

She pressed them and the Tardis suddenly stopped shaking, becoming much calmer.

"See?" She asked with a smile as Lily and Amy stared around in shock.

River walked back to the monitors as the Doctor pouted and he said sulkily: "Yeah. Well, it's just boring now, isn't it? They're boring-ers. They're blue," he toggled them irritably, "boring-ers."

He glared at the woman as Amy walked over, Lily following much more slowly, while the redhead asked quietly: "Doctor, how come she can fly the Tardis?"

"You call that flying the Tardis? Ha!" The Doctor mocked as he walked off and sat in a seat with his back to the console, sulking.

Lily glanced at him while River ignored him as she listed: "Okay. I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination, and," there was a ding and she finished happily: "parked us right alongside."

"Parked us? We haven't landed." The Doctor retorted, getting up defiantly.

River folded her arms as she said: "Of course we've landed."

She then reached for the monitor as she rolled her eyes, commenting: "I just landed her."

She showed him the monitor, and the Doctor said quietly, glancing at the other two girls: "But, it didn't make the noise."

"What noise?" River asked, glancing at him briefly and the Doctor said quickly: "You know, the-" he imitated the Tardis's wheezing sound.

Amy's brows lifted curiously while Lily's lips twitched in amusement. Lily then had to suppress a smile as River looked at him and told him flatly: "It's not supposed to make that noise. You leave the brakes on."

Amy lifted her brows higher, looking between the two while Lily smiled as the Doctor said petulantly: "Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise. Lily?"

He turned to her for backup and River peered over, her eyes lighting up when she spotted the brunette woman.

"Oh, Lily!" River greeted in delight. "Didn't see you there, sorry, busy as you know. You should've said something, especially since you know how the Doctor's driving - if you can call it that - ticks me off."

Lily stared at the woman and River's warm smile slid off her face as she said slowly: "Oh…"

Lily glanced at the Doctor, who'd tensed incredibly, as she said to the other woman slowly: "Sorry…"

Lily peered at River curiously as she asked: "Have we met?"

River stared and then her eyes flickered between the Doctor and Lily.

"Oh… this must be the first time you meet me." River said softly and Lily stared.

"Pardon?" She asked, but the Doctor interrupted quickly: "Never mind that. Come on, Lily. Come along, Pond. Let's have a look."

He started to head for the doors and Lily threw him a surprised look while Amy raised her brows questioningly and River called: "No, wait. Environment checks."

The Doctor stopped at the doors, turning to her as he said: "Oh yes, sorry. Quite right. Environment checks."

He then opened the door and peered out before turning back to them as he said flatly: "Nice out."

River ignored him as she checked the monitors, saying: "We're somewhere in the Garn Belt. There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest that-"

"We're on Alfava Metraxis," The Doctor interrupted, listing irritably, "the seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen rich atmosphere, all toxins in the soft band, eleven hour day and," River was looking surprised while the Doctor paused to check outside again, "chances of rain later." He finished as he looked back at them.

River sighed as she told the other two girls: "He thinks he's so hot when he does that."

Amy chuckled once, more out of shock than anything else, and River paused before she glanced at Lily.

"Although, I suppose you also think so." She added and Lily blinked in surprise before blushing beet-red.

"Er…" She said, unsure what exactly to say but River waved it off as she said lightly: "Oh, don't mind me."

She turned back to the monitors while the Doctor had come back into the Tardis, sulky that none of them had come to join him.

Amy asked River curiously: "How come you can fly the Tardis?"

"Oh, I had lessons from the _very_ best." River said suggestively, and the Doctor looked a little smug as he settled into his chair again.

"Well, yeah." He said with a self-satisfied smirk, but it dropped when River added flatly: "It's a shame you were busy that day."

Lily laughed at the Doctor's annoyed expression, and River threw her a grin before she asked, back to business: "Right then, why did they land here?"

She picked up her shoes and began to walk to the doors, when the Doctor said smugly: "They didn't land."

"Sorry?" River asked as she headed for the doors, and the Doctor got up, joining the girls as they followed River while he said curtly: "You should've checked the Home Box. It crashed." He explained.

River looked at him in surprise before she opened the door and left. But as Lily and Amy stood behind the Doctor, he closed the door on River firmly. Lily raised her brows questioningly as the Doctor turned to them. His face was set grimly and he didn't reply to Lily's look, just walking silently back to the console.

Amy and Lily exchanged glances before they followed him and Amy asked: "Explain. Who is that and how did she do that museum thing?"

"It's a long story and I don't know most of it. Off we go." The Doctor replied evasively, and Lily raised her brows again as the Doctor began to press buttons.

"What are you doing?" Amy asked curiously.

"Leaving." The Doctor replied curtly. "She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go."

"Are you basically running away?" Amy teased, but the Doctor replied surprisingly seriously: "Yep."

"Why?" Amy asked, frowning now as she stared at the Doctor.

Lily was also staring at him intently, and her frown deepened as the Doctor replied shortly: "Because she's the future. My future."

He glanced at Lily but quickly looked away.

"Can you run away from that?" Amy asked and the Doctor replied childishly: "I can run away from anything I like. Time is not the boss of me."

Lily sighed at his behavior while Amy asked suddenly as she pointed to the doors: "Hang on, is that a planet out there?"

"Yes, of course it's a planet." The Doctor sighed, before he realized where this was going.

Sure enough Amy said eagerly: "You promised me a planet."

His face had darkened incredibly but Amy pleaded: "Five minutes?"

He glared at her, but when Lily nudged him, he sighed and agreed grudgingly: "Okay, five minutes."

"Yes!" Amy crowed triumphantly, and she ran for the doors.

"But that's all," The Doctor yelled after her, "because I'm telling you now, that woman is _not_ dragging me into anything."

As Amy left, the Doctor sighed and ran a hand down his face. Lily leaned on the console as she asked: "All right. What is it really?"

He glanced at her and she raised a brow.

"Why're you so scared of her?" She asked curiously and the Doctor stared at her pensively.

"Because she takes me to a future that I'm not sure I want to see." He finally replied softly. Lily was surprised at that, and she frowned, puzzled.

"Like what?" She asked in surprise. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"For me? Something quite important." The Doctor answered vaguely.

Lily frowned but the Doctor suddenly returned to his light-hearted self as he said cheerily: "Come on, we can't leave Pond out there alone for too long."

Lily's frown deepened as she followed the Doctor to the doors. As they were about to leave, she asked: "Will you ever tell me?"

He paused at that, the words dislodging a different memory in his mind - a time she had no recollection of. He turned to her and Lily was surprised to see a sudden deep sadness and loneliness in his eyes as he replied: "Maybe, if the time ever becomes right."

She blinked, but he'd turned and thrown open the doors. They stepped out and Lily stared at the burning remains of the ship that had crashed into the side of the cliff.

River asked as she heard them come up: "What caused it to crash? Not me." River added defiantly, and the Doctor agreed as he said: "Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it. According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase shift. No survivors."

River glanced at him as she commented: "A phase shift would have to be sabotage."

She sighed as she looked back at the ship and added: "I did warn them."

"About what?" The Doctor asked curiously, but River continued, ignoring him: "Well, at least the building was empty. Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries."

The Doctor frowned deeply as River turned to pulled out her communicator, and he walked back to where Amy and Lily stood a little behind. Amy asked lightly: "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

He sighed, before unwillingly making the necessary introductions. "Amy Pond, Professor River Song."

River suddenly turned, and asked with a delighted gasp: "Ah, I'm going to be a Professor some day, am I?"

Lily's brows shot up, especially when she saw the Doctor cringe. River smiled as she said with a laugh: "How exciting. Spoilers."

The Doctor was cringing still as River turned back to her gadget, and Amy leaned in. She whispered: "Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that? She just left you a note in a museum."

The Doctor hushed her, and began to walk away quickly but River had apparently heard as she called back: "Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum. The Home Box of category four starliner and sooner or later," she turned and looked at the girls as she nodded at the Doctor, "him."

Amy's lips curved into an amused smile, and River added with a similar smile: "It's how he keeps score."

Amy laughed and she walked over, saying cheerily: "I know."

The Doctor was sulking but Lily was intrigued and she joined the other girls as River nodded, saying: "It's hilarious, isn't it?"

The Doctor fake-laughed as he joined them, before he snapped at River: "I'm nobody's taxi service. I'm not going to be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship."

As he finished angrily, River said, rolling her eyes: "And you are so wrong."

The Doctor turned away, annoyed, while Amy looked amused. Lily was torn between amusement, and just the smallest twinge of jealously.

But her attention was caught, and she knew the Doctor's was as well as River said: "There's one survivor. There's a thing in the belly of that ship," the Doctor had slowly turned back to the group and River turned to look at him with a satisfied smirk, "that can't ever die."

She grinned at the Doctor and then nodded at Amy and Lily.

"Now he's listening." She teased, when her communicator beeped. She answered it, saying: "You lot in orbit yet?"

She walked a little way away as she continued her call: "Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site. Try and home in on my signal."

Amy and Lily walked back to the Doctor, when River called: "Doctor, can you sonic me?"

He was frowning intensely, annoyed beyond belief as he pulled out his sonic before River even finished her next sentence: "I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon."

He pointed it at her and she curtsied mockingly before turning back to her communicator. Amy leaned in and teased: "Oooh, Doctor, you soniced her."

He made a face as he tiredly put away his sonic. River called: "We have a minute. Shall we?"

She opened a blue diary, the same shade as the Tardis. Lily was surprised when her head suddenly ached as she saw it. The Doctor had tensed as he stared at the diary, and so missed her suddenly gripping the side of her head.

But it passed quickly, and Lily brushed it off as River asked: "Where are we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?"

"What's the book?" Amy asked curiously, beginning to walk over but the Doctor ordered sharply: "Stay away from it."

Amy stopped, and Lily glanced at the Doctor in surprise. Amy asked curiously: "What is it though?"

"Her diary." The Doctor said shortly, and River corrected: "Our diary."

The Doctor elaborated grudgingly: "Her past, my… future."

He spat the word like it was a dirty word. Amy's brows lifted while Lily's furrowed. She still couldn't understand what was so wrong with his future, what he was afraid of.

He continued, unaware, sulkily: "Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order."

Amy and Lily exchanged looks but they were distracted as there was a small tornado and four soldiers suddenly appeared a few paces away from them. One of them, the leader from the looks of it, started towards them, heading for River while the others began to scan the area.

"You promised me an army, Dr. Song." The man said pointedly, and River corrected airily: "No, I promised you the equivalent of an army."

The Doctor understood his cue and he stepped forward as River introduced: "This is the Doctor."

Before they could continue, she added: "And his companion, Lily Tyler."

Lily stared at River, while Amy looked a little put out at being left out. The soldier glanced over in surprise, but he took it in stride as he introduced: "Father Octavian, Sir, Ma'am."

The Doctor saluted him, while Lily followed his example uncertainly. The soldier shook their hands as well as he continued: "Bishop, second class. Twenty clerics at my command."

He explained: "The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Dr. Song was helping us with a covert investigation."

They glanced at the smoking remains of the ship, Lily raising her brows. River shrugged sheepishly while Father Octavian looked at them.

"Has Dr. Song explained what we're dealing with?" He asked ominously.

River smiled without mirth as she asked: "Doctor, what do you know of the Weeping Angels?"

The words had an immediate effect. The Doctor's head whipped around to her while Lily frowned. Something… something was familiar about those words. And while it could have been from a reference from a book or movie - after all, it seemed a fairly common term - there was a fear in Lily's heart that was associated with those words.

And the Doctor's dark expression confirmed her gut feeling that what they were about to face would not be good.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Octavian and his men had set up camp and their supplies. Octavian led them through the camp and he explained to them in detail, now that his supplies were ready: "The Angel, as far as we know, is still trapped in the ship. Our mission is to get inside and neutralise it. We can't get through up top, we'd be too close to the drives."

He indicated the crashed ship. He walked over and picked up a communicator, showing it to the Doctor as he explained: "According to this, behind the cliff face there's a network of catacombs leading right up to the temple. We can blow through the base of the cliffs, get into the entrance chamber, then make our way up."

He finished proudly, but the Doctor said in falsely cheerful voice: "Oh, good."

Octavian paused, and he checked, confused as he heard the hint of sarcasm: "Good, sir?"

The Doctor turned to him as he fired off: "Catacombs. Probably dark ones. Dark catacombs. Great." He said sarcastically and Amy blinked in confusion while Lily stared.

Octavian then placed the icing on the cake as he said: "Technically, I think it's called a maze of the dead."

"You can stop any time you like." The Doctor suggested lightly but with an underlying layer of malice.

"Father Octavian?" A soldier called.

"Excuse me, sir." Octavian excused himself, and the Doctor just waved him off, not even bothering to look at the man as he began to examine the tools in the boxes instead.

Amy paused, before she piped up: "You're letting people call you 'sir'. You never do that."

The Doctor ignored her, and Amy frowned a little before she sat down on the crate, dusting her hands as she prompted: "So, whatever a Weeping Angel is, it's really bad, yeah?"

The Doctor finally spoke as he said: "Now that's interesting."

Amy and Lily turned to look expectantly, only for the Doctor to turned to them and say in a low but angry voice: "You two are still here. Which part of 'wait in the Tardis till I tell you it's safe' was so confusing?"

"Oooh, you are all Mr. Grumpy Face today." Amy teased, but Lily frowned. This was clearly bothering the Doctor.

Sure enough, he stared them each dead in the eye as he said quietly: "A Weeping Angel, Lily, Amy, is the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life form evolution has ever produced, and right now one of them is trapped inside that wreckage."

He nodded at the crashed ship as he added: "And I'm supposed to climb in after it with a screwdriver and a torch, and assuming I survive the radiation long enough and assuming the whole ship doesn't explode in my face, do something incredibly clever which I haven't actually thought of yet."

Lily wrinkled her nose. The Doctor continued: "That's my day. That's what I'm up to."

Amy's eyes slid to the side as the Doctor demanded: "Any questions?"

"Is River Song your wife?" Amy asked randomly and Lily felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. The Doctor sighed deeply, closing his eyes a little in irritation.

He turned away but Amy kept prodding: "Because she's someone from your future, and the way she talks to you, I've never seen anyone do that. She's kind of like, you know, heel, boy."

The Doctor kept shifting uncomfortably, not liking the subject. Lily was also disliking the subject, although she wasn't quite yet sure why, but Amy persisted: "She's Mrs. Doctor from the future, isn't she? Is she going to be your wife one day?" Amy teased, and the Doctor finally looked at her.

"Yes, you're right." He finally said sadly, and irritably. Lily's heart fell, and she blinked in surprise at the amount of pain she felt while Amy looked shocked.

But the Doctor then added as he stared back at where River was: "I am definitely Mr. Grumpy Face today."

Amy smiled, feeling a little relieved. Lily meanwhile was trying to understand her bewildering feelings, when River called from her trailer, dressed in the same combat gear as the clerics and her hair now tied into a tight ponytail: "Doctor!"

His head dropped forward in irritation as River repeated: "Doctor?"

"Oops. Her indoors." Amy teased. Lily managed a smile while the Doctor grumbled but he still stood up anyway.

The girls followed him as River called: "Father Octavian."

The other man also headed for the trailer and Amy asked curiously: "Why do they call him Father?"

The Doctor explained: "He's their Bishop, they're his Clerics. It's the 51st Century. The Church has moved on."

With that they stepped into the trailer, and Lily honestly felt a little apprehensive about what she might find about these weeping angels.

* * *

They stood in the trailer, watching a four-second cut off the footage River had obtained on the TV screen. It was a grainy image of a Weeping Angel, its hands covering its face as it face the back wall on the monitor, so that they were effectively looking at it mostly from the back and slightly side.

"What do you think?" River asked the Doctor.

The Doctor walked over to take a closer look while River explained: "It's from the security cameras in the Byzantium vault. I ripped it when I was on board. Sorry about the quality. It's four seconds. I've put it on loop."

"Yeah, it's an Angel." The Doctor replied.

"Hands covering its face." He commented, and Octavian asked from his spot by the open door: "You've encountered the Angels before?"

The Doctor turned to the other man as he replied shortly, glancing briefly at Lily: "Oh, once, on Earth, a… while ago. But those were scavengers, barely surviving."

"But it's just a statue." Amy pointed out confused, while Lily's head began to pound a little.

Something… something… it slipped away again as River replied: "It's a statue when you see it."

"Where did it come from?" The Doctor interjected, and River shrugged as she replied: "Oh, pulled from the ruins of Razbahan, end of last century. It's been in private hands ever since. Dormant all that time."

"There's a difference between dormant and patient." The Doctor pointed out.

River's mouth opened to answer, but Amy asked, still confused: "What's that mean, it's a statue when you see it?"

"The Weeping Angels can only move if they're unseen." River explained to her and Lily. "So legend has it."

"No, it's not legend." The Doctor said in exasperation. "It's-"

"-A quantum lock." He and Lily said at the same time.

The Doctor stopped, staring at Lily whose eyes were unfocused as she stared at the angel on the screen. River and Amy started at the girl in surprise too, while Father Octavian called: "Oh, you've encountered them before, too?"

Lily blinked and her eyes came back into focus as she glanced back at Octavian in surprise.

"Me?" She asked and he nodded.

"You knew about it." He said, although he was surprised to see the confusion on the brunette's face.

"I…" Lily began but it trailed off and she blinked uncertainly.

"I don't know." She admitted and Octavian frowned. River was examining Lily intently while the Doctor's lips pursed in thought.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Octavian asked, but the Doctor cut in quickly: "Quantum lock. In the sight of any living creature the Angels literally cease to exist. They're just stone. The ultimate defence mechanism."

He added mysteriously, and everyone was back to being hooked by the Angel. At least, Octavian and Amy were. River realized the Doctor was trying to direct the attention off Lily, and she remained silent, realizing what was happening. And more importantly, _when_ this was for the Doctor and Lily.

But Lily was frowning as she stared at the Angel.

' _How did I know that it was quantum locked?'_ She wondered shakily. ' _Am I losing my mind? But then, why does it make sense in these abnormal settings?_ '

Amy meanwhile asked the Doctor mockingly: "What, being a stone?"

But the Doctor corrected darkly: "Being a stone… until you turn your back."


	11. 4-2 Weeping Angels

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor said sharply as he walked out the trailer, heading towards the monitors outside that were checking the vitals on the crashed ship: "The hyperdrive would've split on impact. That whole ship's going to be flooded with drive burn radiation, cracked electrons, gravity storms. Deadly to almost any living thing."

"Deadly to an Angel?" Octavian asked as he and River followed the Doctor, and the Doctor corrected: "Dinner to an Angel."

"The longer we leave it there, the stronger it will grow. Who built that temple? Are they still around?" He asked randomly as he gestured to the cliffs.

River answered quickly: "The Aplans. Indigenous life form. They died out four hundred years ago."

"Two hundred years later, the planet was terraformed." Octavian added. "Currently there are six billion human colonists."

The Doctor snorted as he said: "Whoo! You lot, you're everywhere. You're like rabbits. I'll never get done saving you."

"Sir, if there is a clear and present danger to the local population-" Octavian began seriously, but the Doctor interrupted flatly: "Oh, there is."

Octavian frowned, but the Doctor waved him off.

"Bad as it gets. Bishop, lock and load." The Doctor ordered, and Octavian relayed to his men: "Verger, how are we doing with those explosives? Dr. Song, with me."

"Two minutes." River called back as she turned to other side of the camp. She added over her shoulder: "Sweetie, I need you."

The Doctor paused, mouthing the word incredulously: "Sweetie?"

His face scrunched in vague disgust but he turned to follow after her sulkily. Amy called from the doorway: "Anybody need me? Nobody?"

"I do." Lily teased and Amy grinned.

The girls turned back into the trailer, and the Doctor glanced at them as they disappeared, doing his regular check on Lily before he moved beside River, who explained: "I found this."

She handed him an old book, and the Doctor examined it as she continued: "Definitive work on the Angels. Well, the only one. Written by a madman. It's barely readable, but I've marked a few passages."

The Doctor made a dismissive noise in the back of his throat as he flipped through the book and he said airily: "Not bad. Bit slow in the middle. Didn't you hate his girlfriend? No. No, hang on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."

He suddenly turned back to the book, sniffing it deeply as something struck him. River stared at him, puzzled, when suddenly Amy popped her head out of the trailer and called: "Dr. Song? Did you have more than one clip of the Angel?"

"No, just the four seconds." River replied over her shoulder, before quickly turning back to the Doctor. He was so absorbed in the book as he ruffled through again that he missed the odd look on Amy's face as she re-entered the trailer.

"This book is wrong." The Doctor muttered. "What's wrong with this book? It's wrong."

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

The girls had paused upon entering the trailer, and staring at the monitor with a frown.

"You're seeing what I'm seeing, right?" Lily had checked and Amy had nodded as she asked incredulously: "It's moved. How could it move?"

They had stared at the recording of the Angel, whose head had partially lifted and was looking partially over its shoulder towards the camera. Amy had turned and asked River, but the woman had shouted back that there really was only the one clip on loop. Lily had frowned, glancing at Amy as the redhead frowned too, and turned back inside.

Now, Amy stopped, staring at the screen again and Lily turned to look back at it as well. She jumped as she stared at the Angel now staring at them, facing the camera fully with its hands lowered completely. Lily glanced around the room, puzzled while Amy glanced down at the timer on the clip, checking that it really was the same four seconds on loop.

As she ensured that it was just the clip, moving through 00:11:24:04 to 00:11:28:04, she glanced back and gasped. Lily turned and her mouth fell open in surprise as she stared at the Angel, frightened now. It was in the same position as earlier, but it had moved closer, as though it had hopped about a step closer to the camera.

The girls were so absorbed in the Angel, they didn't notice the door had shut behind them, clicking until it was locked firmly.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor was examining the book intently while River commented: "It's so strange when you go all baby faced. How early is this for you?" She asked, and the Doctor replied shortly: "Very early."

River's brow rose, and she picked up her diary as she asked with a sly smirk: "So you don't know who I am yet?"

"How do you know who I am? I don't always look the same." The Doctor retorted, and River smirked.

"I've got pictures of all your faces." She replied. "You never show up in the right order, though. I need the spotter's guide. Thank God for Li-."

The Doctor interrupted as he realized what was wrong with the book he was rifling through.

"Pictures. Why aren't there pictures?" He asked, puzzled.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily was unnerved as she stared at the Angel, and apparently Amy was feeling the same way as the redhead slowly reached out to grab the screen remote. She pressed the power button, and Lily was alarmed as the screen fizzled out, but switched back on almost immediately… on its own.

"Amy?" Lily asked slowly, beginning to feel a little panicked as Amy continued to try turn the screen off, only for it to turn back on each time. Amy took a deep breath before replacing the remote on the table.

She leaned in close to the monitor while Lily cautioned: "I don't know if you should get closer."

Amy replied as she stared at the screen closely: "But it's just a recording. It can't move."

She then reached down to try pull out the lead to the monitor while Lily turned to look at the door. She froze when she saw it was closed- neither of them had closed it earlier.

Amy gave a small shriek and Lily glanced over to see that the Angel had moved even closer, so that now its face was right up in front of the camera, its blank eyes staring at them through the screen.

"Amy, come on." Lily ordered as she turned for the door. But as she pulled on it, it wouldn't budge.

"Doctor?" Lily called while Amy came over to help her. They tried to twist the handle to unlock it, but it wouldn't move at all. Lily glanced back at the screen and when she saw the Angel, she gave a small shriek.

Amy looked over and she also gasped.

"Doctor!" She whimpered, as the girls leaned against the door in fear, staring at the Angel. The Angel's face was now horrifically contorted, its mouth open as it bared its teeth menacingly at them through the camera.

"Doctor." Amy whimpered again, and the girls desperately tugged at the door. Lily glanced back at the screen, and her mouth fell open in horror.

Amy glanced over as well, and she shrieked in fear as Lily screamed: "Doctor!"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor held up the book and pointed it at River as he said thoughtfully: "This whole book, it's a warning about the Weeping Angels, so why no pictures? Why not show us what to look out for?"

He began to riffle through the book again and River piped up: "There was a bit about images. What was that?"

"Yes. Hang on." The Doctor muttered as he looked for the right page. He quickly found it and read aloud: "'That which holds the image of an angel becomes itself an angel'."

He looked up, puzzled, and River asked in confusion: "What does that mean? 'An image of a Angel becomes itself an Angel'?"

Suddenly they heard Lily's scream: "Doctor!"

"It's in the room!" Amy shrieked out as well.

The Doctor's face went white as he cried, horrified: "Lily!"

He dashed to the trailer, River right behind him. He banged on the door, shouting desperately: "Lily! Are you alright? Amy?"

"Doctor?" The girls shrieked in panic.

"What's happening?" The Doctor demanded.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

The girls shrunk back in fear as they stared at the fuzzy projection of the Angel as stood almost like a ghost in the center of the trailer. Its teeth were bared in that terrifying snarl and its hands were raised like claws.

"Lily? Love, talk to me!" The Doctor called from outside, and Lily whispered: "Doctor, it's coming out of the television. The Angel is here."

Amy whimpered against the door, leaning against it as the girls clutched each other in fear.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

As soon as the words left Lily's mouth, the Doctor began to sonic the keypad desperately, trying to get inside as he ordered: "Don't take your eyes off it. Keep looking. It can't move if you're looking."

He gave up on the keypad quickly, and River demanded: "What's wrong?"

"Deadlocked." He replied shortly as he tried to find another way in.

River protested as she began to work on the keypad frantically: "There is no deadlock."

The Doctor opened the wire hatch, trying to get at the doors through the computer system. He ordered loudly to the trapped girls: "Lily, don't blink. Amy, don't even blink."

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

As the Doctor's words left his mouth, Lily's head exploded in pain.

" _Don't blink."_

Lily clutched her head as the words echoed in her mind in that same male voice that kept haunting her. " _Blink and you're dead."_

Amy didn't notice, she was too busy staring at the Angel as she hissed: "Doctor!"

Lily tried to focus, to keep watching the Angel, but she couldn't her mind was racing, and she didn't understand what was happening.

" _They are fast._ "

Why did this keep happening to her?

" _Don't turn your back._ "

She squeezed her eyes against the pain as she kneaded her hands on her temples, trying desperately to remained focused, to help Amy.

" _Don't look away._ "

But the more she tried to look at the Angel, the more she saw a different face. A strange man - no a _familiar_ man - with untidy brown hair and deep brown eyes, staring at her as he spoke seriously: " _Good luck._ "

Her vision kept blurring between the Angel and the familiar but unfamiliar man, and Lily clutched her head in pain, eventually giving in to the pain.

"Lily!"

Lily heard Amy's cry faintly as she reeled. She felt her body slump a little against the door, and the last thing she remembered were those deep brown eyes as her world faded into darkness.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

As the Doctor tugged at some wires, River glanced over and asked: "What are you doing?"

"Cutting the power." The Doctor replied tightly. "It's using the screen, I'm turning the screen off."

He tried to sonic it but nothing happened. He snapped in agitation: "No good, it's deadlocked the whole system."

"There's no deadlock." River snapped at him and the Doctor retorted just as tensely: "There is now."

"Lily!" Amy cried from inside and the Doctor's face drained of all color as he ran back to the door.

"Lily? Lily? Answer me!" He cried. "What's happening?"

"She passed out, I don't know why!" Amy shouted desperately, her voice shaking with fear.

"Doctor, help me!" She begged and the Doctor asked desperately: "Can you turn it off?"

"Doctor?" Amy asked, confused, and he elaborated: "The screen. Can you turn it off?"

"I tried." The girl replied, her voice small with fear, and the Doctor ordered, not knowing what else to do: "Try again. But don't take your eyes off the Angel."

He reminded as he dashed back to the wire controls, and Amy snapped tensely: "I'm not."

The Doctor explained hastily, needing her to understand the importance of his words: "Each time it moves, it'll move faster. Don't even blink."

River moved to the door, using her gun as a laser as she tried to cut through the door, while the Doctor desperately pulled at the wires. Amy shouted back, in a mixture of frustration and fear: "I'm not blinking. Have you ever tried not blinking?"

There was a paused where the Doctor continued to try various things, when Amy screamed, panicking: "It just keeps switching back on."

 **"** Yeah, it's the Angel." The Doctor retorted, and Amy protested: "But it's just a recording."

The Doctor corrected in a tight voice as he tugged on a stubborn wire: "No, anything that takes the image of an Angel is an Angel."

He pulled it, before he glanced at River and he demanded: "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to cut through. It's not even warm." River replied tightly, and the Doctor said frantically: "There is no way in. It's not physically possible."

River gave up and was about to snap at him when Amy asked in a quivering voice: "Doctor, what's it going to do to me?"

The Doctor hesitated, and just ordered: "Just keep looking at it. Don't stop looking."

"Just tell me." Amy pleaded, but the Doctor had run to get the book, grabbing it and dashing back to the door, looking for any hints that could help. Amy was continuing to beg, becoming increasingly agitated: "Tell me. Tell me!"

The Doctor found something and he cried: "Amy, not the eyes. Look at the Angel but don't look at the eyes."

"Why?" The girl cried and River asked worriedly, coming over: "What is it?"

The Doctor told her what he'd read, frowning desperately: "The eyes are not the windows of the soul. They are the doors. Beware what may enter there."

 **"** Doctor, what did you say?" Amy asked suddenly, and the Doctor shouted desperately: "Don't look at the eyes!"

"No, about images." Amy replied. "What did you say about images?"

The Doctor was beginning to panic, so River shouted back: "Whatever holds the image of an Angel, is an Angel."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic again, trying the door one more time. Suddenly, it clicked and slid open and without even stopping to feel relief he dashed inside. River followed right behind, and they stopped just as they saw the Angel's fuzzy form disappear as the screen shut down.

Amy was standing in the center of the room, remote in hand, and the Doctor glanced about before spotting Lily lying by the door.

He quickly walked over to check on her as Amy blabbered, in shock: "I froze it. There was a sort of blip on the tape and I froze it on the blip."

The Doctor, satisfied that Lily was alright, quickly ran over to unplug the screen's wire, preventing the screen from switching on at all.

Amy continued, still in shock: "It wasn't the image of an Angel any more. That was good, yeah? It was, wasn't it? That was pretty good."

The Doctor grinned at her, before turning quickly to the screen and sonicing it. River smiled as she breathed: "That was amazing."

"River, hug Amy." The Doctor ordered and the woman looked at him in confusion.

"Why?" River asked confused and he retorted as he checked his sonic: "Because I'm busy."

"I'm fine." Amy protested, but River hugged her as she told the girl: "You're brilliant."

She looked at the Doctor pointedly, but he ignored the look as he dashed back over to Lily. Amy grinned at River as she said: "Thanks. Yeah, I kind of creamed it, didn't I?"

Amy turned to aim the remark at the Doctor, but paused, startled as she saw him gently lifting Lily up, brushing her hair out of her face with a tender expression in his eyes. He pointed his sonic at her and the girl began to stir as Amy frowned a little.

But before she could say anything, River asked the Doctor: "So it was here? That was the Angel?"

The Doctor explained as Lily's eyes began to flutter open: "That was a projection of the Angel. It's reaching out, getting a good look at us. It's no longer dormant."

"What happened?" Lily asked dazedly and the Doctor gently lifted her into a sitting position.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily jumped as there was an explosion from outside.

"Okay, what was that, where's the Angel, and what did I miss?" Lily asked, looking around.

"Doctor? We're through!" Octavian's voice called from outside and Lily frowned.

River smiled as she replied: "Fill you in later."

Lily nodded and the Doctor helped her up while Amy watched them with narrowed eyes. But she then turned away as she felt something in her eye, rubbing it irritably.

The Doctor made sure Lily was steady on her feet before he declared: "Okay, now it starts."

He dashed on ahead while River hugged Lily, murmuring: "Glad you're alright."

Lily nodded and River asked: "What happened?"

Lily shrugged as she replied slowly: "I… I don't know. It was… there was…"

But she couldn't remember. River saw the girl's confusion, and she said quickly as Lily's brows began to knit: "Well, you're safe now and that's what matters."

Lily pursed her lips, but River began to steer her away firmly as she said: "Come on, can't let the Doctor loose out there alone."

Lily grinned a little, but they both paused as they saw Amy still standing inside the trailer.

"Amy?" Lily called and River added: "Coming?"

"Yeah, coming." Amy replied and River nodded, going on ahead while Lily waited.

"There's just something in my eye." Amy murmured, and Lily walked over, taking Amy's hand and removing it to peer at the redhead's eye.

"Looks clear to me." She said with a frown, and Amy shrugged as she said: "Must've gotten out."

She then hugged her friend. Lily was surprised but hugged her back as Amy murmured: "You worried me there."

Lily smiled as she replied lightly: "Well, I'm alright now. I'm just sorry I collapsed and left you on your own like that."

Amy shook her head as she replied: "No, it's alright. But what happened? You suddenly just blacked out."

"I don't know." Lily admitted as she frowned.

She said slowly: "It was like… there was something there… and then I lost it as I collapsed." She admitted and Amy frowned too.

"What could it mean?" She wondered, but Lily shrugged just as they heard River shout: "Lily? Amy?"

"Coming!" The girls yelled back, and they left the trailer together, heading over to where River stood beside a large hole in the ground by the cliff side.

* * *

Lily climbed down the rope ladder, dropping down into the underground cavern right behind River. The pair stood, shining their torches around as Amy dropped down between them. The three peered around as they stood surrounded by soldiers, when the Doctor piped up from a few paces ahead: "Do we have a gravity globe?"

"Grav globe." Octavian ordered, and one of the clerics handed a large balloon-shaped device to the Doctor as Amy asked: "Where are we? What is this?"

She and Lily walked a little to the side, peering at the rock formations as River answered: "It's an Aplan Mortarium, sometimes called a Maze of the Dead."

"That's cheery." Lily commented, and River grinned a little while Amy asked curiously: "What's that?"

"Well," the Doctor replied, "if you happen to be a creature of living stone…"

He kicked the globe into the air, causing it to fly far above their heads. It stopped, suspended in the air where it lit up, lighting the whole cavern to reveal a huge maze structure built into the cliffs… and the hundreds of statues that covered every inch of the place.

"Ha ha ha." The Doctor breathed, while everyone else's mouths fell open in shock, mixed with a little bit of horror.

"…The perfect hiding place." The Doctor finished.

As they all shone their torches at the statues around them, Octavia murmured: "I guess this makes it a bit trickier."

"A bit, yeah." The Doctor agreed sarcastically.

Ocatvian continued as he stared at one of the statues: "A stone Angel on the loose amongst stone statues. A lot harder than I'd prayed for."

"It's like looking for a needle in a really big haystack." Lily sighed and River agreed: "Exactly like a needle in a haystack."

"A needle that looks like hay." The Doctor countered as he walked backwards over to the pair. "A hay-like needle of death. A hay-like needle of death in a haystack of… er… statues."

He paused as he stopped by Lily, and River and Lily turned to look at him in disbelief. The Doctor straightened his jacket as he muttered: "No, yours was fine."

Lily rolled her eyes while River snorted. Octavian ignored them as he ordered his men: "Right. Check every single statue in this chamber. You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection. One question." He added as he looked at the Doctor. "How do we fight it?"

"We find it, and hope." The Doctor replied lightly, and he took Lily's hand and walked off with her in tow. Amy followed quickly, and River did too, after a moment's pause by Octavian.

The Doctor made his way down one passage of the maze slowly, both he and Lily shining their torches around carefully. Lily glanced back to see Amy pause, and she gently let go of the Doctor's hand. He glanced down, and when she jerked her head back at Amy, he nodded and let her go. He watched her for a second longer as she walked back towards her friend before he moved on a little further.

"Amy?" Lily asked as her friend rubbed her eye again in confusion.

River caught up to them just as Lily called out to the redhead, and the older woman asked concernedly: "You al lright?"

Amy looked up at them quickly and she replied lightly: "Yeah, I'm fine."

Lily frowned, but shrugged it off as Amy continued curiously: "So, what's a Maze of the Dead?"

River chuckled a little, digging in her pocket as she replied: "Oh, it's not as bad as it sounds. It's just a labyrinth with dead people buried in the walls."

Lily and Amy's faces paled and they looked at River with identical frowns. River paused, glancing at them and she admitted: "Okay, that was fairly bad."

Amy pulled a face while Lily snorted.

"Yeah, just a little." She teased and River grinned.

"Always liked you." She commented, and Lily looked surprised but River just moved on, saying as she held out her hand: "Right give me your arm."

She took Amy's arm, which was closer. Amy looked apprehensive while Lily watched curiously as River held up a syringe.

"This won't hurt a bit." She said reassuringly before she injected Amy.

"Ow!" Amy cried as she grimaced and River chuckled as she finished: "There, you see. I lied."

Lily laughed a little while Amy rolled her eyes.

"Much like the Doctor." Lily commented and River looked at her curiously.

"Oh, so you do know who he is?" She asked in surprise, and Lily blinked.

"Sorry, what?" Lily asked, confused, and River's smile fell.

"Um, never mind." The blonde said quickly, and Lily frowned.

"No, what?" Lily asked insistently, and River replied vaguely: "Time travel, it's a little hard to know where we are. Sorry, can't say much more."

Lily pouted, but she didn't argue as River continued to explain to Amy, indicating the injection: "This is a viro-stabilizer. Stabilizes your metabolism against radiation, drive burn, anything."

She pulled out the injection, letting go of Amy and holding up a hand towards Lily. The brunette made a face but lifted her arm obligingly as River finished: "You're going to need it when we get up to that ship."

"Ow!" Lily complained as the injection zapped her, and Amy laughed at her while River looked apologetic. As River pushed the syringe down, Amy glanced at the Doctor, who was wandering around a few paces ahead, apparently ignoring them as he read a hand-held computer and shone his torch around

Amy asked River quietly, nodding at the Doctor: "So what's he like? In the future, I mean. Because you know him in the future, don't you?"

River paused, glancing at Lily a little warily. The brunette looked at her curiously as River just replied vaguely: "The Doctor? Well, the Doctor's the Doctor."

Lily wrinkled her nose while Amy said sarcastically: "Oh. Well, that's very helpful. Mind if I write that down?"

River meanwhile was peering at the Doctor and she called abruptly: "Yes, we are."

Lily laughed, knowing what River meant as the Doctor called back, not looking up from his computer as he asked: "Sorry, what?"

"Talking about you." River replied while Lily laughed harder, and the Doctor retorted: "I wasn't listening. I'm busy."

"Ah." River smiled mockingly. She grinned at Lily, nodding at her to do the honors as Amy looked mystified, but the brunette grinned widely.

"That's the wrong way up." Lily called to the Doctor, and she and River giggled as the Doctor paused before turning the computer around and glancing at the girls sheepishly.

"Yeah." He muttered petulantly.

"You're so his wife." Amy whispered at River.

Lily's face fell a little, but she tried to shrug it off as River replied softly: "Oh, Amy, Amy, Amy. This is the Doctor we're talking about."

The Doctor glanced over at them, his curiosity burning as they whispered amongst themselves

"Do you really think it could be anything that simple?" River asked and Amy replied: "Yep."

Lily nodded too, and River glanced at them, looking a little pensive, appearing to be deliberating something.

Making her decision, River replied in a low voice so the Doctor couldn't hear: "The Doctor's wife is the one person he trusts above all others. 'The keeper of his hearts', she's called."

Both Lily and Amy frowned.

"Why're you talking about yourself in third person?" Lily asked, confused, as Amy wondered the same thing.

"I'm not talking about myself." River answered lightly and Lily's frown deepened, not understanding, but for once Amy did.

Her eyes lit up in realization and she glanced at Lily. River saw Amy's look and she smiled as Amy raised her brows questioningly at the blonde.

River answered it vaguely as she replied: "You're good. I'm not saying you're right," she added with a sly smile, "but you are very good."

Lily glanced at the pair and she asked: "What?"

"How does it feel to be the one who doesn't understand for once?" Amy teased and Lily made a face.

"Really stupid." She replied and River and Amy laughed, Lily joining in a little.

"Come on, I usually explain things." Lily whined at Amy. The redhead paused, looking thoughtful before conceding.

She opened her mouth, looking amused, but River interrupted as she called to the Doctor: "Mmm, curious yet?"

Lily blinked, frowning a little at River's obvious change in the subject, while the Doctor called back stubbornly: "I don't know what you're-"

They were interrupted as they heard the sound of rapid gunfire from behind. The Doctor whipped around as Lily and Amy jumped, and he was dashing past them as River turned to the sound as well.

The girls followed after in alarm, coming to a screeching halt as the Doctor stopped to examine the statue while a soldier stood with his smoking gun still raised as he shook a little in fear. Lily glanced at the statue, frowning when she saw it as Octavian arrived, going to stand next to the young cleric sternly.

"Sorry, sorry." The cleric apologized contritely. "I thought. I thought it looked at me."

The Doctor leaned back while Octavian replied harshly: "We know what the Angel looks like. Is that the Angel?"

He nodded at the wingless statue and the cleric bowed his head in shame as he replied: "No, sir."

Octavian snapped sternly: "No, sir, it is not. According to the Doctor, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil, so it would be good, it would be very good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of decor."

The Doctor interrupted, calling over to the cleric: "What's your name?"

The pair looked over in surprise, and the cleric replied shakily: "Bob, sir."

The Doctor replied appreciatively: "Ah, that's a great name. I love Bob."

Lily smiled encouragingly at Bob and he returned it with a small one as Octavian explained: "It's a Sacred Name. We all have Sacred Names. They're given to us in the service of the Church."

The Doctor walked over and he teased: "Sacred Bob. More like Scared Bob now, eh?"

He joked as he looked at Bob. The smile slid off Lily's face and she lifted a hand to cover her face with a sigh as Bob replied ashamedly: "Yes, sir."

"Ah, good." The Doctor declared as he slapped Bob's shoulder encouragingly. "Scared keeps you fast. Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron."

He glanced meaningfully at Octavian, who raised a brow. Lily smiled again, coming over as the Doctor ordered lightly: "Carry on."

She joined the Doctor, murmuring: "Nicely said."

He grinned as he glanced at her.

"Were you worried I was just going to be rude?" He teased and she replied lightly: "For a moment. You do have a bit of a track record."

His face fell just a little, but Lily didn't see it as she smiled while staring ahead at Octavian and Bob.

"I do, don't I?" The Doctor murmured quietly.

She looked up in surprise at that but the Doctor just grinned again as he said lightly: "Come on, back we go."

He took her hand, leading her back into the maze. River and Amy joined them and they walked back in, Lily wondering why it felt like the Doctor was keeping secrets from her. Secrets that River seemed to know, and even Amy had figured out.

 _'Is it obvious? What did I miss?'_ Lily wondered as she walked deeper into the maze, her hand clasping the Doctor's.


	12. 4-3 The Angels are Coming

As they walked through, peering at the many statues, Amy asked curiously: "Isn't there a chance this lot's just going to collapse? There's a whole ship up there.

"Incredible builders, the Aplans." River replied, somewhat admiringly.

The Doctor added cheerily: "Had dinner with their Chief Architect once."

He paused and then muttered absently: "Two heads are better than one."

Lily looked at him questioningly while Amy asked confusedly: "What, you mean you helped him?"

"No, I mean he had two heads." The Doctor replied, before added in one breath, asking River: "That book, the very end, what did it say?"

"Hang on." River murmured. She began to dig for the book while Lily frowned as something niggled in the back of her mind. Her gut was telling her something was wrong… but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Read it to me." The Doctor was saying to River, and she pulled out the book, opening it to the end and she read: "'What if we had ideas that could think for themselves? What if one day our dreams no longer needed us? When these things occur and are held to be true, the time will be upon us. The time of Angels'."

Lily stared at the statues confusedly as her gut continued to tell her that something was wrong. They were getting higher and higher, and Octavian had joined them when Amy complained: "Are we there yet? It's a hell of a climb."

"The Maze is on six levels, representing the ascent of the soul." River explained. "Only two levels to go."

"Lovely species, the Aplans." The Doctor piped up. "We should visit them some time."

"I thought they were all dead?" Amy asked confusedly and the Doctor retorted: "So is Virginia Woolf. I'm on her bowling team. Very relaxed, sort of cheerful. Well, that's having two heads, of course. You're never short of a snog with an extra head."

Lily barely heard him, trying to figure it out. She was surprised as River suddenly said: "Doctor, there's something. I don't know what it is..."

"Yeah," the Doctor agreed, "there's something wrong. Don't know what it is yet, either. Working on it. So's Lily, I bet."

Lily looked at him in surprise while River snorted. The Doctor rambled on: "Of course, then they started having laws against self-marrying. I mean, what was that about? But that's the Church for you. Er, no offence, Bishop."

He added as he caught sight of Octavian's face. But at those words, something clicked in Lily's mind. She remembered what the Bishop had said: _"Died four hundred years ago. Two hundred years later, the planet was terrraformed."_

Octavian was saying pointedly to the Doctor: "Quite a lot taken, if that's all right, Doctor."

They walked further in, Lily running after the Doctor as the group travelled in the path created by the statues lining the walls on either side.

"Doctor," she asked quietly and he glanced at her questioningly, "were there any other life forms here before the Aplans died out?"

"No, there weren't." The Doctor answered in a puzzled voice. "Why?"

"So the humans only colonized after the planet terraformed?" Lily checked again and the Doctor nodded as he asked in confusion: "Lily, love, what is it?"

Lily's heart had sunk and she had paled considerably. Octavian called back from where he was leading: "Lowest point in the wreckage is only about fifty feet up from here. That way."

The Doctor glanced at the man, but his attention snapped back to Lily as she asked quietly and a little desperately: "Then why do all the statues have only one head?"

The Doctor stopped walking immediately as he understood. He stared at the statues as Amy was saying jokingly: "The Church had a point, if you think about it. The divorces must have been messy."

"Oh." The Doctor finally breathed and Lily's face whitened. She was right, she could see it on the horror in the Doctor's face as he examined the statue right in front of them.

Amy turned around, asking confusedly: "What's wrong?"

River also glanced at what the Doctor and Lily were staring at, the former with horror and the latter with terror. She got it too.

"Oh." She gasped as she also pointed her torch at one of the statues. The Doctor and Lily turned to face the blonde woman as she looked at them with wide, terrified eyes.

"Exactly." The Doctor breathed, and River hissed frantically: "How could we not notice that?"

The Doctor was back to looking around desperately as he bit out: "Low level perception filter, or maybe we're thick."

"If it was a perception filter, how'd Lily notice? She didn't even know what the Aplans looked like." River retorted and the Doctor snapped: "Then you and I are just thick."

"Don't be mean, just do something." Lily whimpered, and the Doctor grabbed her as Octavian asked carefully: "What's wrong, sir?"

"Nobody move." The Doctor cut in quickly, holding Lily to him tightly as he said urgently: "Nobody move. Everyone stay exactly where they are."

He looked around at everyone once to show how serious he was, before saying to Octavian directly: "Bishop, I am truly sorry. I've made a mistake and we are all in terrible danger."

"What danger?" Octavian demanded nervously, as Amy glanced around with wide eyes.

"The Aplans." River explained, and Octavian repeated in confusion: "The Aplans?"

"They've got two heads." Lily whimpered and the Doctor clutched her tightly.

"Yes, I get that. So?" Octavian asked agitated, and the Doctor pointed out darkly: "So why don't the statues?"

His torch shone on the statue once more and finally everyone else got it. The Doctor ordered as he pointed to a corner of the cave: "Everyone, over there. Just move. Don't ask questions, don't speak."

The entire group moved quickly, frightened as the Doctor pushed Lily before him. The clerics formed a loose circle formation around the girls as the Doctor gently pushed Lily beside Amy, taking up a protective stance before her. He then ordered the group: "Okay, I want you all to switch off your torches."

The clerics hesitated, and one called Marco asked sceptically: "Sir?"

The Doctor said calmly but firmly: "Just do it."

Lily clicked off her torch, and the rest followed her example until only the Doctor's torch was left on. Lily held onto the back of his jacket nervously as he said slowly: "Okay. I'm going to turn off this one too, just for a moment."

"Are you sure about this?" River checked, and Lily's grip on the Doctor's jacket tightened.

He took a deep breath, not daring to pull her in closer as he kept both hands on his torch, before he replied to River in a flat voice: "No."

With that, he flicked his torch off, switching it back on almost instantly. But in that brief second, the statues had moved, all of them turning to face the group. The Doctor tore out of Lily's grasp, dashing off to check the passage they'd come from. Lily took a step after him but River pulled her back, keeping a tight grip on the brunette's shoulder as Amy stood frozen in place, saying in a frightened voice: "Oh, my God. They've moved."

They all stared at the statues in fear for a moment longer before Amy dashed after the Doctor. River let Lily go, the whole group following quickly to see the entire passage they'd come from filled with more Angels. One was even frozen in place, half-crawling on the ground with its hand outstretched towards them. The Doctor examined it as he called back in a tight voice: "They're Angels. All of them."

"But they can't be." River retorted and Lily pointed out shakily: "Well, they clearly are."

River's eyes narrowed in fear as the Doctor called back: "Clerics, keep watching them."

The Doctor continued down the path, and Lily followed, unable to stand seeing him disappear out of her sight as fear gripped her heart. The Doctor had paused as he looked out and when Lily stopped next to him he said quietly: "Every statue in this Maze, every single one," River and Amy ran up, "is a Weeping Angel."

His torch shone on the Angels that were frozen, mid-creep towards them.

"They're coming after us."

* * *

"But there was only one Angel on the ship." River insisted. "Just the one, I swear."

"Could they have been here already?" Amy asked desperately while the Doctor asked pointedly: "The Aplans. What happened? How did they die out?"

"Nobody knows." River replied and Lily murmured shakily: "Well, now we do."

The group were standing in a loose circle back in the larger cavern again, the girls standing together as the Doctor paced around before the group and between them and the Angels.

"They don't look like Angels." Octavian commented as they all stared at the almost rotten-looking wingless stone statues.

"And they're not fast." Amy pointed out. "You said they were fast. They should have had us by now."

The Doctor interrupted as he stopped, pointing his torch at the Angels: "Look at them. They're dying, losing their form. They must have been down here for centuries, starving."

"Losing their image?" Amy asked and the Doctor replied absently: "And their image is their power."

"Oh." Lily breathed as the Doctor blinked, realizing the same thing as he murmured: "Power. Power!" He shouted, snapping his fingers delightedly as he turned back to the group.

"Doctor?" Amy asked confused while River asked: "Lily, what did you mean?"

The Doctor cried: "Don't you see? Of course not, as usual only one person gets it with me."

"Rude." Lily pointed out, but the Doctor grinned because it reminded him of old times.

He went on regardless: "All that radiation spilling out the drive burn. The crash of the Byzantium wasn't an accident, it was a rescue mission for the Angels. We're in the middle of an army, and… it's waking up." He added as he paced furiously once more.

"We need to get out of here fast." River said urgently and Lily nodded tightly.

Octavian immediately called on his com: "Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please."

Lily's heart sank as there was only silence and she exchanged glances with River as the Doctor also looked over, pausing in his pacing.

"Any of you, come in." Octavian ordered, and Lily breathed in relief as Bob replied immediately: "It's Bob, sir. Sorry, sir."

Octavian also took a deep breath in relief before he said quickly: "Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you? All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active."

"I know, sir." Bob replied, and Lily's face fell.

Bob continued in a slightly shaky voice: "Angelo and Christian are dead, sir. The statues killed them, sir."

The Doctor immediately grabbed the com from Octavian, speaking into it quickly: "Bob, Sacred Bob, it's me, the Doctor."

"I'm talking to-" Octavian began, but the Doctor ignored him as he asked urgently: "Where are you now?"

"I'm talking to my-" Octavian began again, sounding furious, but the Doctor shushed him with a finger, saying irritably: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, shut up."

Octavian looked outraged but he kept silent. Lily leaned in to River, and the blonde wrapped an arm around the girl, helping calm her nerves as Bob replied: "I'm on my way up to you, sir. I'm homing in on your signal."

The Doctor replied, speaking quickly: "Ah, well done, Bob. Scared keeps you fast. Told you, didn't I. Your friends, Bob." He added urgently. "What did the Angel do to them?"

"Snapped their necks, sir." Bob replied and Lily shuddered.

River however frowned, as did the Doctor who said puzzled: "That's odd. That's not how the Angels kill you. They displace you in time."

His eyes moved to Lily and he murmured thoughtfully: "Unless they needed the bodies for something."

Octavian snatched the com from the Doctor. The Bishop asked firmly: "Bob, did you check their data packs for vital signs? We may be able to initiate a rescue plan."

The Doctor snatched the com back as he snapped in annoyance: "Oh, don't be an idiot. The Angels don't leave you alive."

He added into the com quickly: "Bob, keep running. But tell me, how did you escape?"

Bob replied promptly: "I didn't escape, sir. The Angel killed me, too."

Lily's blood ran cold and she shared a look of horror with River. Amy's eyes had widened, her body reacting immediately even as her mind didn't quite register. The Doctor had paused, before he checked, slowly: "What do you mean, the Angel killed you?"

'Bob' replied calmly: "Snapped my neck, sir. Wasn't as painless as I expected, but it was pretty quick, so that was something."

The Doctor and Octavian shared looks at that, but the Doctor chose to ask in a low voice: "If you're dead, how can I be talking to you?"

"You're not talking to me, sir." 'Bob' replied. "The Angel has no voice. It stripped my cerebral cortex from my body," Lily closed her eyes briefly while Octavian's face became grief-stricken, "and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion."

The Doctor prompted tightly: "So when you say you're on your way up to us…"

"It's the Angel that's coming, sir, yes." 'Bob' confirmed, and the Doctor immediately hung up on the com as he snapped, coming back over to the girls: "No way out."

Octavian countered: "Then we get out through the wreckage. Go!"

"Go, go, go. All of you run." The Doctor urged.

River quickly took one of the girls in each hand, leading them firmly, but Amy said tightly as the Doctor didn't move: "Doctor."

He snapped: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Just go. Go, go, go."

He pushed Amy, and she went with River but Lily wrenched her arm away, joining the Doctor, who was saying to Octavian tiredly: "Yeah. Called you an idiot. Sorry, but there's no way we could have rescued your men."

Octavian replied flatly: "I know that, sir. And when you've flown away in your little blue box, I'll explain that to their families."

He turned to go, but Lily said sharply: "That's not fair on him."

The Doctor glanced over in surprise but Octavian was unperturbed as he said to the girl flatly: "Life isn't fair. Those boys had to find that out the hard way."

Lily's lips folded in anger, but Octavian brushed past. The Doctor paused to stare at Lily as she stared back, before he called into the com: "Angel Bob. Which Angel am I talking to? The one from the ship?" He asked.

Lily walked over, and he wrapped an arm around her as Angel Bob replied: "Yes, sir. And the other Angels are still restoring."

"Ah, so the Angel is not in the wreckage." The Doctor replied grimly. "Thank you."

He hung up again, and took Lily's hand.

The pair broke into a run, as Lily said to him seriously: "It wasn't your fault. If you blame yourself-"

"I know." He replied shortly and Lily snapped: "No, if you blame yourself, we all have a share in that blame. You couldn't have known."

He glanced back, and seemed about to say something but then they ran through a passage to see Amy standing there. The Doctor cried as he rushed past the redheaded girl: "Don't wait for me. Go, run."

"I can't." Amy replied, and both the Doctor and Lily screeched to a halt, turning back.

They rushed over to where Amy was standing frozen by the rocks, both glancing her over to see what was wrong as Amy said shakily: "No, really, I can't."

"Why not?" The Doctor demanded as he looked her in the eye, neither he nor Lily finding anything wrong.

"Look at it." Amy said as though it was obvious. Both the Doctor and Lily stared at her puzzled and Amy said frantically: "Look at my hand."

The pair did as they were told, but Lily was bewildered. There was nothing wrong.

"It's stone." Amy bit out, and Lily's head shot back up to look at her friend.

"Amy?" She asked, puzzled but the Doctor lifted his torch, shining it into the redhead's eyes as he demanded: "You looked into the eyes of an Angel, didn't you?"

"I couldn't stop myself. I tried." Amy replied, her brows starting to knit as she tried to keep her fear at bay.

The Doctor glanced at Lily, ordering: "Lily, go."

She snapped: "Not on your life."

"Lily, just go, I don't want you to die here because of me." Amy insisted.

The Doctor gave up on convincing Lily, knowing there was no way the stubborn girl would leave, and focused on Amy as he said urgently: "Listen to me. It's messing with your head. Your hand is not made of stone."

"It is. Look at it." Amy replied angrily and Lily interjected: "Amy, listen to us, it's not. We promise it's not."

"It's in your mind," The Doctor added, "I promise you. You can move that hand. You can let go."

Amy replied in a voice torn between desperation and terror: "I can't, okay? I've tried and I can't. It's stone."

The Doctor's torch began to flicker and he and Lily glanced at it in alarm.

"Oh, God." Lily whispered as she realized it must be the Angels, and the Doctor confirmed it as he told Amy firmly: "The Angel is going to come and it's going to turn this light off," he nodded at his torch, "and then there's nothing I can do to stop it, so do it."

He stared at the redhead intently as he ordered: "Concentrate. Move your hand."

"I can't." Amy replied flatly, and the Doctor retorted: "Then we're both going to die. Lily, run."

"No." The brunette snapped as Amy said furiously: "You're not going to die."

"Lily, go." The Doctor ordered before he added to Amy: "They'll kill the lights."

"Shut up, I'm not leaving Amy." Lily growled, and Amy said frantically: "You've got to go. Both of you. You know you have. You've got all that stuff with River, she knew you both, and that's all got to happen."

The Doctor replied shortly: "Time can be re-written. It doesn't work like that."

His torch flickered and Lily spotted the statues starting to make their way into the passage. Amy saw the ashen look on Lily's face and turned to see the statues. Her mouth fell open in horror as the Doctor ordered them: "Keep your eyes on it. Don't blink."

"Run!" Amy shouted, and Lily snapped: "Not on your life. Literally!"

The Doctor added: "You see, I'm not going. I'm not leaving you here, although Lily, love, please run, for me." He added, and Lily snapped: "For Amy, no!"

Amy shouted in a mix of anger and fear: "I don't need you two to die for me. Do I look that clingy?"

"Yes!" Lily snapped, near hysterical with fear as she tried to tug on Amy's hand while the Doctor pleaded to the redhead: "You can move your hand."

"It's stone." Amy cried in exasperation and as the Doctor's flashlight flickered more and more frequently, he replied, equally exasperated: "It's not stone."

"You've got to go." Amy begged as the statues got closer. "Those people up there will die without you. If you stay here with me, you'll have as good as killed them."

Lily suddenly piped up: "Amy Pond, you're my best friend, and I'm sorry."

The Doctor dared to glance away from the Angels to send her a bewildered look while Amy replied, trying to sound brave: "It's okay. I understand. You've got to leave me."

"No, I'm not leaving you." Lily retorted. "I'm just sorry about this."

And with that she bit the redhead's hand.

"Ow!" Amy cried, her hand jerking away and the Doctor crowed at Lily's triumph: "See? Not stone. Now run."

"Come on!" Lily shouted as she and the Doctor grabbed Amy.

"You bit me." Amy said in disbelief and Lily countered: "Yeah, and you're alive."

Amy showed the Doctor as he pushed her ahead with Lily: "Look, I've got a mark. Look at my hand."

Lily pulled the redhead, leading the way as the Doctor replied: "Yes, and you're alive. Did Lily mention?"

"Blimey, your teeth." Amy complained and Lily and the Doctor retorted as they all backed away from the Angels: "Yeah. Alive."

As they broke into a run through the tunnel, Lily added: "And you're welcome!"

* * *

As they made it into the final tunnel, they could hear one of the clerics saying tightly: "Sir, my torch keeps flickering."

"They all do." Octavian replied as River added: "So does the gravity globe."

Just as the trio made it to where the rest of the group was huddled under the Byzantium, Octavian said: "Clerics, we're down to four men. Expect incoming."

The Doctor called as he walked quickly through the group: "Yeah, it's the Angels. They're coming. And they're draining the power for themselves."

"Which means we won't be able to see them." Octavian pointed out and the Doctor corrected as he looked about: "Which means we can't stay here."

The torches and the gravity globe were flickering rapidly, indicating the Angels were coming faster. One cleric flinched as he stared down a passage, and Octavian called sharply: "Two more incoming."

"Any suggestions?" River asked the Doctor and Lily seriously, and the pair glanced at her, Lily puzzled and the Doctor thoughtful and desperate.

"The statues are advancing on all sides." Octavian reported. "We don't have the climbing equipment to reach the Byzantium."

River added, looking at the Doctor: "There's no way up, no way back, no way out. No pressure, but this is usually when you have a really good idea."

The Doctor had turned inside himself, glancing about frantically as he muttered: "There's always a way out."

Lily flinched as the lights went out again for a moment, coming back on to reveal more Angels approaching. The Doctor repeated as he began to peer about frantically: "There's always a way out."

Just then, Angel Bob called over the com: "Doctor? Can I speak to the Doctor, please?"

"Hello, Angels." The Doctor replied, sounding falsely cheerful. "What's your problem?"

The group all glanced around frantically, Lily and River exchanging desperate looks as Angel Bob replied: "Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly. Sorry, sir."

"Why are you telling me this?" The Doctor asked and Lily glanced over as Angel Bob replied: "There's something the Angels are very keen you should know before the end."

"Which is?" The Doctor prompted, and Angel Bob replied flatly: "I died in fear."

The Doctor paused for a moment before asking: "I'm sorry?"

He glanced over at the others just as Lily's face fell and Angel Bob replied: "You told me my fear would keep me alive, but I died afraid, in pain and alone. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down."

The Doctor's face had darkened, becoming grim. Lily stepped closer, her brows furrowing worriedly. Amy whispered to River: "What are they doing?"

"They're trying to make him angry." River explained quietly as Lily reached the Doctor as Angel Bob added: "I'm sorry, sir. The Angels were very keen for you to know that."

Lily touched the Doctor's arm and he glanced at her. She was looking at him determinedly, and as their eyes met, the Doctor's shoulders straightened and he said into his com: "Well then, the Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass."

His eyes had filled with tears of sorrow and anger, and Lily slid her hand down his arm, wrapping his hand in hers tightly. The Doctor kept his eyes on hers as he continued in a stern voice: "I'm sorry you're dead, Bob, but I swear to whatever is left of you, they will be sorrier."

"But you're trapped, sir," Angel Bob pointed out and the Doctor glanced up, "and about to die."

Lily also looked up, trying to see what the Doctor was looking at as he snapped into the com: "Yeah. I'm trapped. And you know what?"

He suddenly looked around, saying triumphantly: "Speaking of traps, this trap has got a great big mistake in it. A great big, whopping mistake."

"What mistake, sir?" Angel Bob asked, but the Doctor ignored him as he looked down at Lily.

"Trust me?" He asked, and she nodded without missing a heartbeat.

"Always." Lily replied determinedly, and he grinned.

The Doctor turned to Amy, asking her as well: "Trust me?"

"Yeah." Amy replied instantly, and the Doctor turned to River.

"Trust me?" He asked and River nodded, saying as she looked at Lily: "Definitely."

"You lot, trust me?" The Doctor asked Octavian.

The man paused, but Marco called at that moment: "Sir, two more incoming."

Octavian straightened his shoulders as he replied: "We have faith, sir."

The Doctor snapped his fingers and then pointed at the man's belt, saying firmly: "Then give me your gun."

Octavian did so without hesitation, and the Doctor handed the com to Lily as he took the gun. The others watched apprehensively as the Doctor cocked it, saying firmly: "I'm about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous. When I do," he mimed his order, "jump!"

Octavian glanced around, puzzled, as he asked: "Jump where?"

Lily meanwhile was staring at the ceiling and her mouth fell open. The Doctor meanwhile replied to Octavian sternly: "Just jump, high as you can. Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On my signal."

"What signal?" Octavian asked apprehensively, and the Doctor replied promptly: "You won't miss it."

He pointed the loaded gun up at the ceiling and River's eyes lit up in understanding while Lily asked: "Will it work?"

"Yes." He replied firmly as he gripped Lily's hand tightly.

She nodded satisfied, just as Angel Bob called over the com again: "Sorry, can I ask again? You mentioned a mistake we made."

The Doctor was aiming carefully as Lily pressed the com, lifting it to the Doctor's mouth so he could reply: "Oh, big mistake. Huge. Didn't anyone ever tell you there's one thing you never put in a trap?"

He fine-tuned his aim, his grip tightening on both the gun and Lily's hand as he bit out sharply: "If you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap."

Lily's hand tightened on his as Angel Bob asked: "And what would that be, sir?"

Lily glanced at the Doctor, the others all doing the same. The Doctor didn't look away from his target as he replied darkly: "Me."

And with that, he fired one shot towards the Byzantium.


	13. 5-1 Flesh and Stone

Lily was clutching the Doctor's arm tightly as she struggled to her feet, and the Doctor helped her up as he ordered everyone quickly: "Up. Look up."

The whole group was trying to get back up on their feet, disoriented after jumping right as the Doctor had fired his shot.

"Are you okay?" River checked on Amy and the girl asked confusedly: "What happened?"

"We jumped." River explained and Amy's brows furrowed as she asked bewildered: "Jumped where?"

"Up. Up. Look up." The Doctor ordered urgently as the group all stumbled onto their feet. He was trying to dash about and order everyone, while at the same time checking that Lily was alright.

She brushed him off firmly, indicating she was fine as Amy asked: "Where are we?"

"Exactly where we were." River replied, and Amy said in confusion: "No we're not."

The Doctor had walked over quickly, holding Lily's hand and pulling her with him as he ordered Amy: "Move your feet."

She did as she was told and the Doctor bent down to point his sonic at the hatch she'd been standing on, Lily bending down with him. The clerics were all looking up as the Doctor had ordered, keeping their eyes fixed while Amy demanded tightly: "Doctor, what am I looking at? Explain."

"Oh, come on, Amy, think." The Doctor retorted. "The ship crashed with the power still on, yeah? So what else is still on?"

Amy still looked confused as she glanced about, and Lily sighed: "Amy, look up."

The redhead did as her friend said, and Amy gasped as she saw the Angels standing on the ceiling, reaching their arms out towards them as they hung upside down. Except, the ceiling looked like the maze, and the Byzantium was missing from the roof.

She gasped as she understood, and the Doctor nodded, explaining: "The artificial gravity. One good jump, and up we fell."

He mimed jumping again as he said: "Shot out the grav globe to give us an updraft, and here we are."

He bent back down to the hatch beside Lily as Octavian said tightly: "Doctor, the statues. They look more like Angels now."

Lily glanced up to see the statues were now growing wings and their deformed bodies slowly restoring to look more like the Angel they'd seen on the security footage. The Doctor explained: "They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves. Within an hour, they'll be an army."

The hatch finally opened, and as it did the two of the lights on the Byzantium's hull went out.

"They're taking out the lights." The Doctor commented.

"No, really?" Lily asked sarcastically, and he grinned a little, glad to see she was back to normal.

But he became serious as he ordered the group: "Look at them. Look at the Angels. Into the ship, now. Quickly, all of you."

He sat down at the edge of the hatch, moving to drop through. Amy was panicked as she glanced down at the far drop down the hatch, and she demanded: "How?"

The Doctor ignored her as he dropped through, and Amy called in alarm: "Doctor!"

Lily sighed, gesturing for her to look. Amy peered through to see the Doctor apparently standing on the side of the circular passageway. The Doctor explained as he saw Amy's puzzled expression: "It's just a corridor. The gravity orientates to the floor. Now, in here, all of you. Don't take your eyes off the Angels. Move, move, move."

Lily jumped through next just as another light bulb went out, throwing the outside into further darkness. Amy looked at River who nodded, and the redhead jumped in next. The Doctor was sonicing the control panel as Lily joined him, while Octavian ordered from outside: "Okay, men. Go, go, go!"

The men all ran down, and Octavian asked as he stopped by the Doctor: "The Angels. Presumably they can jump up too?"

The hatch closed before them in answer, and the Doctor slowly reached out to grab Lily's hand as he answered Octavian grimly: "They're here, now. In the dark, we're finished."

As soon as the words left his mouth, an alarm began to blare and the Doctor shouted: "Run!"

He pulled Lily with him as they ran for the bulkhead at the other side of the passage, which was sliding shut.

"This whole place is a death trap." Octavian cried in panic as the doors shut right before them, and the Doctor corrected: "No, it's a time bomb. Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb. And now it's a dead end."

He turned around to face the group as Amy and River caught up. "Nobody panic."

The hatch began to spark and sharp holes poked through as the Angels began to break in.

Amy and River turned to the doors in alarm and the Doctor commented: "Oh, just me then. What's through here?" He asked as he pointed through the door and River answered: "Secondary flight deck."

Amy asked with forced calm: "Okay. So we've basically run up the inside of a chimney, yeah?"

River had opened the wires to the control panel beside them, starting to work on them as Amy asked, her voice cracking: "So what if the gravity fails?"

"I've thought about that." The Doctor replied, and Amy asked frantically: "And?"

"You don't want to know." Lily replied at the same time the Doctor said: "And we'll all plunge to our deaths. See? I've thought about it."

He turned back to the door, trying to sonic it as Lily slapped a hand to her face while Amy's eyes widened in terror. Lily hastily grabbed her friend, trying to reassure her as the Doctor muttered: "The security protocols are still live. There's no way to override them. It's impossible."

"How impossible?" River and Lily asked at the same time.

River sent a grim smile at Lily as she worked while the Doctor replied flatly: "Two minutes."

The lights inside their passage started to dim as the outer hatch opened. They all stared at the opening in alarm and fear, Amy clutching the Doctor's arm as he dragged Lily behind him protectively. Octavian said firmly: "The hull is breached and the power's failing."

The lights went out completely on the inside, and Lily shrieked as they saw an arm appear just outside the open hatch. The Doctor rushed to River, sonicing the wires as Marco called urgently: "Sir, incoming."

Amy ordered in a panicked voice: "Doctor? Lights."

The Doctor continued to work as River gave up, and the lights flickered once more. When they could see again, Amy clutched Lily's arm in terror as they saw the Angel standing halfway into the hatch. The lights flickered again and Amy's grip was so tight Lily couldn't feel the blood in her arm anymore as they stared at the four Angels that were now standing in the passage in front of the now closed hatch.

The Doctor had stabilized the lights a little more, stopping them from going into complete darkness for now, and Octavian warned: "Clerics, keep watching them."

Amy's eyes were wide as she and Lily stared at the Angels, as the Doctor added urgently: "And don't look at their eyes. Anywhere else. Not the eyes."

He was sonicing the wires as he muttered: "I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now."

He turned back to the door, leaving River as Octavian said tightly: "Good work, Doctor."

Lily moaned, shaking her head while the Doctor said sarcastically: "Yes. Good, good, good. Good in many ways. Good you like it so far."

"So far?" Amy asked and the Doctor explained as he walked to the other control panel: "Well, there's only one way to open this door. I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control."

"Good. Fine. Do it." Octavian snapped, and Lily retorted as panic gripped her: "No, not good."

Octavian started, and the Doctor explained to him in a tight voice as he turned to look at the Angels: "Including the lights. All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights."

River and Amy gave him horrified looks while Lily grabbed Amy's hand tightly, both reassuringly and somewhat panicked. Octavian paused before asking desperately: "How long for?"

"Fraction of a second." The Doctor replied promptly, but then he added in a panicked tone: "Maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer."

"Maybe?" Octavian asked incredulously and the Doctor pointed out: "I'm guessing. We're being attacked by statues in a crashed ship. There isn't a manual for this."

He turned away from the Angels, and back to the bulkhead as Amy bit out: "Doctor, we lost the torches. We'll be in total darkness."

He turned to the redhead as he snapped: "No other way."

"Doctor, we'll need to decide quickly." Lily interrupted as she stared at the Angels, and he nodded.

He turned to Octavian as he prompted: "Bishop."

Octavian asked firmly: "Dr. Song," River turned away from the wires at last and faced the man, "I've lost good Clerics today. You trust this man?"

"I absolutely trust him." River replied immediately. "Him and Lily."

"He's not some kind of madman, then?" Octavian asked.

Lily winced while the Doctor just watched silently as River paused and just repeated, avoiding the question: "I absolutely trust him."

Octavian leveled a look at her before he turned sharply and asked Lily: "Do you trust this man?"

The Doctor and Lily looked surprised, and even River stared at the man's unexpected actions, but Lily replied without hesitation: "More than anything."

Octavian nodded, and the Doctor said determinedly, although with a pleased smile: "Excuse me."

He began to work on the bulkhead, Amy and Lily watching anxiously, so none of them noticed as Octavian moved closer to River.

River was looking apprehensive as Octavian whispered to her: "I'm following you, because she's the only one who can manage this guy, and you're the one she trusts for now. But that only works so long as she doesn't know who and what you are. You cost me any more men, and I might just tell them. Understood?"

River's eyes narrowed in fury, but she replied: "Understood."

Octavian gave her one last stern look before he called: "Okay, Doctor. We've got your back."

Lily glanced back as the Doctor replied: "Bless you. Bishop."

He held out a hand, and Lily handed him the pieces from the control panel that she'd pulled and he attached them to the device he was constructing quickly on the door. Octavian ordered his men: "Combat distance, ten feet."

The men backed up, their guns aimed firmly at the Angels.

"As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire." Octavian ordered grimly. "Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste."

The Doctor ordered: "Lily, with me. Amy, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns."

"Ten." Amy replied, and the Doctor said sternly: "No, four. Four turns."

Lily frowned as she saw Amy looking puzzled as the girl said: "Yeah, four. I heard you."

But Lily shook her head, pushing away the strange feeling as she joined the Doctor at the control panel. She held the wires down for him as the Doctor called: "Ready!"

He then stuck his sonic into the wires Lily was holding, and the pair watched the Angels as Octavian said firmly: "On my count, then."

They all stared at the Angels, River moving to the doors as Octavian murmured: "God be with us all. Three, two, one, fire!"

He ordered as the lights went out. The clerics opened fire as the Angels approached, the flashes from the gunshots providing some small light for them to catch glimpses of the Angels.

"Turn!" The Doctor ordered and Amy called back: "Doctor, it's opening. It's working."

River was helping Amy, and as the Doctor opened enough for them to slip through, the Doctor shouted: "Fall back!"

He pushed Lily through after the other girls, and then waited for the clerics to all make it through before slipping in last. Lily was waiting anxiously and she breathed in relief as he grabbed her hand and dashed down the short corridor with her, past the clerics pointing their guns at the door determinedly.

As the Doctor soniced the door to at the end of the passage, the clerics all moved back, and the group slipped through into the Secondary Flight Deck as the doors slid open.

"Doctor, quickly." River urged and he nudged Lily inside. The girl slipped in, followed by the others, as Amy called: "Doctor!"

The Doctor released his sonic from the controls, dodging inside just in time before the doors slid closed again. He grabbed Lily's hand once more as he dashed to join River at the controls. There was a crash outside, and the wheel on the door began to spin on its own.

"Doctor!" Amy cried in warning but neither he nor River glanced up as they worked furiously. Octavian quickly walked over, placing a device on the door.

"What are you doing?" Amy asked, but her question was answered as the wheel stopped spinning.

Octavian replied confidently: "Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now."

The Doctor glanced up at that and he smirked grimly as he asked: "Yeah?"

Amy and Octavian stared in horror as the wheel began to screech, turning once more although slower than before.

"Dear God!" Octavian gasped, and the Doctor commented: "Ah, now you're getting it."

He added as he moved about the console, keeping Lily close: "You've bought us time though. That's good. I am good with time."

"These controls won't work." Lily whispered anxiously and he nodded grimly as he tried to fix the mess of wires and broken parts.

"Doctor." Amy whimpered as the door on another side of the room started to spin.

"Seal that door. Seal it now." Octavian ordered and Marco dashed over to magnetize it.

"We're surrounded." River said grimly as the last door on the left side of the room also began to spin and Octavian ordered: "Seal it. Seal that door."

As one of his men moved to do as he said, Octavian asked urgently: "Doctor, how long have we got?"

"Five minutes, max." The Doctor replied as he tried twirling some dials and Amy muttered: "Nine."

"Five." The Doctor corrected as he and Lily whipped their heads to stare at Amy.

Amy looked at them startled as she said: "Five. Right. Yeah."

The other pair frowned however, and the Doctor asked: "Why'd you say nine?"

"I didn't." Amy replied, confused and Lily frowned but the Doctor was distracted as River called: "We need another way out of here."

"There isn't one." Octavian murmured dejectedly, when the Doctor suddenly said: "Yeah, there is. Course there is." He realized.

He headed to the back of the room as he rattled off: "This is a galaxy class ship. Goes for years between planet falls. So," he snapped his fingers, "what do they need?"

He looked around the room expectantly, and Lily looked up immediately.

"Oh." Lily said while River gasped, also understanding: "Of course."

He snapped his fingers at them happily, while Amy asked: "'Of course' what? What do they need?"

Octavian interrupted: "Can we get in there?"

"Well," the Doctor replied as he turned back to the door and Amy sulked, "it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow."

He leaned on the wall as he murmured: "This whole wall should slide up. Ah!" He cried in delight as he spotted something. "There's clamps."

He pushed aside some of the machinery as he cried: "Release the clamps."

He bent down quickly, and Lily rushed over to help clear his path as he soniced the clamps.

"What's through there? What do they need?" Amy murmured confusedly, and River explained: "They need to breathe."

Amy looked at her in confusion, but at that moment the Doctor finished sonicing the last clamp and he stood back as the wall slid open. Amy stared her eyes widening, and she stepped forward, saying in shocked awe: "But that's… That's a…"

Lily smiled as they stared at the woodland landscape that was being preserved in the center of the ship. River finished for her: "It's an oxygen factory."

"It's a forest." Amy said in disbelief and Lily snorted as River retorted: "Yeah, it's a forest. It's an oxygen factory."

Amy laughed, still in shock, and the Doctor added: "And if we're lucky, an escape route."

Lily stepped forward, joining him as they all stared into the beautiful woods. It was amazing to see such natural beauty inside this manmade hull, and Lily's lips had curved into a content smile for a brief moment. Amy was in a similar state as she stared in awe, laughing a little breathlessly before she suddenly blurted out: "Eight."

Lily whipped around while the Doctor's eyes slid back and then moved back to the forest.

"What did you say?" River asked sharply as Lily stepped back towards her friend, staring intently.

Amy looked startled as she replied to River: "Nothing."

"Is there another exit?" The Doctor called. Lily slowly turned back to the forest as the Doctor ordered: "Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there."

Octavian replied as he stepped into the woods: "On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels."

"But trees, on a space ship?" Amy asked, still unable to believe her eyes as she walked over to the Doctor and Lily.

The Doctor explained as he walked off towards the forest: "Oh, more than trees. Way better than trees. You're going to love this."

He stepped into the forest and Amy asked confusedly: "Isn't he worried about the radiation?"

River had walked up and she opened her mouth but Lily replied absently, focused intently on what the Doctor was doing: "Low levels of radiation aren't lethal to him."

River and Amy stared, but Lily didn't seem to notice what she'd said, her eyes lighting up as the Doctor pulled a part of a tree's bark, saying delightedly: "Treeborgs. Trees plus technology."

Lily leaned forward, moving slowly closer to the opening in the wall to examine the wires running through the whole inside of the tree. "Branches become cables become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air."

He gestured up at the ceiling and Lily peered up to see the many tubes circling high into the ceiling, carrying the oxygen away to the rest of the ship. The Doctor said excitedly: "It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an ecopod running right through the heart of the ship."

He dashed back to the center to face the girls as he finished: "A forest in a bottle on a space ship in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Lily Tyler and Amy Pond?"

Lily laughed delightedly, nodding as Amy's eyes were wide and she gave a breathless laugh before saying in wonder: "Seven."

The Doctor's face dropped into a grim expression and he came back over quickly, as Lily whipped around to her friend.

"Seven?" He questioned as he examined Amy intently, and the girl asked in confusion: "Sorry, what?"

Lily's brows were furrowed as she examined Amy. _Something's very wrong now._

"You said seven." The Doctor pointed out as he stared intently into Amy's eyes and Amy scoffed: "No. I didn't."

"Yes, you did." River chimed in firmly, also staring at Amy.

Octavian called: "Doctor, there's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck."

"Oh, good." The Doctor replied, turning to the man. "That's where we need to go."

He turned back to staring at Amy intently, Lily joining him as Octavian reported: "Plotting a safe path now."

"Quick as you like." The Doctor said dismissively, still focused on Amy.

Suddenly his com buzzed and Angel Bob called: "Doctor? Excuse me?"

The Doctor became distracted from Amy once more as he reached into his pocket for his com as it buzzed again: "Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir."

The Doctor answered as he sat in a chair by the console: "Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life? Sorry," he added in a mockingly apologetic tone, "bad subject."

Lily rolled her eyes at his childishness, exchanging looks with River as the blonde woman turned to try get the console working. Amy leaned against the console, Lily joining her and the brunette kept a worried eye on her friend as Angel Bob replied: "The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve."

The Doctor replied lightly: "Achieve? We're not achieving anything. We're just hanging. It's nice in here. Consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?"

Angel Bob replied darkly: "The Angels are feasting, sir. Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world, and all the stars and worlds beyond."

The Doctor replied, still in his light tone: "Well, we've got comfy chairs. Did I mention?"

"We have no need of comfy chairs." Angel Bob replied and the Doctor smiled as he said to the girls happily: "I made him say comfy chairs."

Lily's lips twitched into a smile and Amy snorted as she said: "Six."

River and Lily turned to her immediately, while the Doctor jumped up abruptly as he said into his com: "Okay, Bob, enough chat. Here's what I want to know. What have you done to Amy?"

Amy looked confused, but Lily drew her around to examine her as Angel Bob replied: "There is something in her eye."

"What's in her eye?" The Doctor demanded as River and Amy glanced over, but Lily was peering into Amy's eyes as Angel Bob replied darkly: "We are."

The Doctor immediately turned to Amy, who asked warily as Lily's gaze became anxious: "What's he talking about? Lily?"

As the Doctor also leaned in to peer at her eyes intently, Amy insisted: "Doctor, I'm five."

Amy's face paled as she realized what she'd said and Lily's face had gone white. Amy glanced at Lily and then River who was watching in alarm as Amy tried to correct herself: "I mean, five."

The Doctor's face was grim and Amy was starting to look panicked as she corrected: "Fine! I'm fine."

"You're counting." River pointed out in a shaky voice, and Lily added, trying not to let her fear show: "Counting backwards."

"Counting?" Amy asked in a small voice and the Doctor said seriously: "You're counting down from ten. You have been for a couple of minutes."

Amy glanced at Lily, who nodded, and then asked with forced calm: "Why?"

"I don't know." The Doctor replied, and Amy asked, her voice beginning to shake: "Well, counting down to what?"

Lily gripped the Doctor's arm in fear as he admitted, saying each word slowly and distinctly: "I don't know."

His com crackled again and Angel Bob said darkly: "We shall take her. We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space."

The Doctor left the girls, flopping back into his chair as he snapped into the com: "Get a life, Bob. Oops," he apologized again, "sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much." He pointed out.

Angel Bob replied: "With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand."

The whole group jumped as a screeching sound echoed around them from outside the room.

"What's that? Dear God, what is it?" River demanded as Lily cried: "Doctor?"

"They're back." Octavian warned.

They were all looking around wildly, fighting the paralyzing fear that gripped them at the horrible noise as Angel Bob explained: "It's hard to put in your terms, Dr. Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing."

The Doctor had leaned forward in his chair and he slowly raised his com to his mouth as he asked in a low voice: "Laughing?"

Lily's eyes slid over to him, alarmed at his tone while Angel Bob replied: "Because you haven't noticed yet, sir."

The Doctor stood up slowly as Angel Bob continued: "The Doctor in the Tardis hasn't noticed."

Lily frowned- those were the same words Prisoner Zero had said to taunt the Doctor before. But she was more worried at the moment about the Doctor, and it seemed Octavian shared that worry as he called warningly: "Doctor."

"No. Wait." The Doctor cut him off, lifting a finger to shush him as he stared into space, saying thoughtfully: "There's something I've..."

Lily heard a crackling sound and looked back to see a white, burning w-shaped crack appearing above the bulkhead entrance they'd come through. It was crackling as it became bigger. The Doctor also turned slowly towards the sound.

"…missed." He finished as he stared at the crack.


	14. 5-2 Countdown

As everyone turned to look at the crack, the Doctor rushed over to examine it closely. Lily followed quickly, concerned about him as Amy said in a shaky voice as she ran over as well: "That's, that's, that's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl."

"Yes." The Doctor replied with wide eyes as he stared at the crack.

He recalled the crack he'd seen in Amy's childhood bedroom, the words he'd said: _"Two parts of space and time that should never have touched."_ And now, here it was again and once more others knew what it was while he had no idea.

The whole room shook as the crack widened, and they all clutched a piece of equipment as they struggled to stay upright. Octavian called sharply: "Okay, enough. We're moving out."

"Agreed." River replied instantly. "Doctor?"

"Yeah, fine." The Doctor agreed but he was beginning to make his way over to the crack.

"Doctor!" Lily cried while River demanded: "What are you doing?"

"Right with you." The Doctor replied absently. He pulled out his sonic and began to scan the crack as the clerics all filed out into the forest.

"We're not leaving without you." River said firmly, but the Doctor snapped: "Oh yes, you are. Bishop?"

"Miss Pond," Octavian called sharply immediately, "Miss Tyler, Dr. Song, now!"

River grabbed the two girls' arms, pulling them firmly as Amy cried in alarm: "Doctor?"

"Let go!" Lily demanded but River shouted: "Come on!"

Lily tried to get back to the Doctor as she shouted: "Doctor!"

"Lily, go," he called back, "I promise I'm right behind you."

"Sure you are!" She snapped but he ignored her as he examined the crack.

Lily tried to break free from River, but the woman tightened her grip as she said seriously: "Lily, trust me."

"I'm not leaving him!" Lily cried as she tried to break free. River handed Amy over to Octavian as they made their way into the forest, before gripping Lily's shoulders tightly with both hands.

She turned the brunette girl to face her and she looked Lily in the eyes as she said firmly: "Trust me, I know. But he will come back for you. He'll always come back for you, Lily."

Lily's brows furrowed and she asked slowly: "What do you mean? How do you know that for certain?"

"Because I know the Doctor. And you do, too." River said firmly, and Lily snapped, bordering on hysterical: "In the future? The future can change though!"

But River gripped her tighter, forcing her to calm down. Lily stared at her desperately, but she blinked and her world was rocked to the core as River said at last: "You do know, even now. You just need to remember."

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

"So, what are you?" The Doctor murmured as he soniced the crack.

He checked the readings on his sonic and muttered: "Oh, that's bad. Ah, that's extremely very not good."

He leaned against the wall, staring up at the crack when he suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He whipped back to face the room to find himself surrounded by Angels. He quickly jumped away, keeping his eyes on as many of them as he could as he muttered to himself: "Do not blink."

He dashed about, dodging the Angels as he made his way across the room and towards the forest, the only means of escape. He kept moving, spinning around to try and keep the Angels in his sight but he was cut short just by the wall as he felt a tug on the back of his jacket collar.

"Argh!" The Doctor yelled as the Angel's grip on his jacket pulled him back.

He paused, glancing back at the Angels as he wondered: "Why am I not dead then?"

The Doctor saw the Angels reaching towards the crack, their arms raised as though in worship as they basked in the light coming from the crack.

"Good, and not so good." The Doctor muttered as he realized what was happening.

He sighed as he glanced around at the Angels around him and he corrected: "Oh, this isn't even a little bit good. I mean, is that it? Is that the power that brought you here? That's pure Time Energy."

He nodded at the crack. "You can't feed on that. That's now power, that's the fire at the end of the universe. And I'll tell you something else."

There was a bang and the whole room rocked. The Doctor used the opportunity to pull his arms out of his jacket, dashing for the forest as he called over his shoulder: "Never let me talk!"

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily walked with the group in a shell-shocked state, unable to believe what River had said. River walked silently beside her as Lily walked numbly, her mind thrown into a frenzy. So, her gut feelings that there was something she'd forgotten were correct, but why had she forgotten? Why couldn't she remember? And what exactly was it she'd forgotten? Because from River's words… it was the Doctor she'd forgotten.

 _'But is that possible? How could I forget something so unforgettable?'_ Lily wondered.

She was brought out of her reverie as River suddenly called: "Amy? Amy, what's wrong?"

Lily glanced over to see Amy had stopped walking and she was standing as though frozen in place while her eyes were dark and filled with tears. River walked over quickly, Lily right behind her, and River grabbed the redhead's shoulders as she peered at the girl.

"Amy, what's wrong?" River asked again, and Lily whispered: "Amy?"

The redhead looked at them with her wide eyes and she blurted out: "Four."

Lily's heart sank while River's face became grim. Amy swayed before her legs gave out and she sat down on the ground. Her breathing became heavy as she gripped the back of her neck, continuing to sway in her seat. Lily and River stood over her, arms out and ready to catch her if necessary but Amy just lay down on a mossy rock.

"Med scanner, now." River ordered as she circled Amy to get to the girl's head, and Lily clutched Amy's hand reassuringly as the girl whimpered.

One of the clerics handed River the scanner and River began to set it up as Octavian warned: "Dr. Song, we can't stay here. We've got to keep moving."

"We wait for the Doctor." River replied shortly as she wrapped the scanned around Amy's arm.

Lily was holding Amy tightly as Octavian came over and he hissed: "Our mission is to make this wreckage safe and neutralise the Angels. Until that is achieved-"

River interrupted as Lily lifted her gaze to glare at Octavian: "Father Octavian, when the Doctor's in the room, your one and only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home."

She finished wrapping the scanner around Amy's arm and turned to look at Octavian as she continued: "And trust me, it's not easy. Now, if he's dead back there-"

Lily made a noise and Octavian glanced at her but River continued firmly: "-Lily will never forgive me and frankly I'll never forgive myself. And if he's alive, I'll never forgive him."

Octavian raised a brow at that, while Lily looked surprised. But she then saw something behind River and her eyes widened in joy. River seemed to have seen this coming as she added with a sigh: "And, Doctor, you're standing right behind me, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah." The Doctor replied nonchalantly as he walked into the clearing.

"Where's your jacket?" Lily asked in surprise and he shrugged.

"Lost it on the way." He replied lightly, and River turned to face him as she said with narrowed eyes and pursed lips: "I hate you."

"You don't." The Doctor countered as he walked over to kiss the top of Lily's head.

She sighed in relief while River retorted: "I do sometimes, and now is one of those times."

"But Lily loves me." The Doctor responded airily. The brunette blinked while River conceded although she raised her brows at the Doctor pointedly.

The Doctor, realizing what he'd said, added hastily: "Bishop, the Angels are in the forest."

Octavian ordered his men: "We need visual contact on every line of approach."

The Doctor sat down beside Lily to examine Amy, and River hissed in surprise: "How did you get past them?"

"I found a crack in the wall and told them it was the end of the universe." The Doctor replied quietly.

Lily's mouth dropped open in horror while Amy asked in a whisper: "What was it?"

"The end of the universe." The Doctor replied and Lily gripped Amy's hand tightly as the girl began to shake.

The Doctor murmured gently as he looked over the med scanned: "Let's have a look, then."

"So, what's wrong with me?" Amy asked, and Lily patted her head calmingly as River soothed: "Nothing. You're fine."

"Everything. You're dying." The Doctor said flatly as he read the scanner.

Lily whacked his shoulder, hard, as River scolded: "Doctor!"

The Doctor rubbed his shoulder, wincing a little, as he snapped: "Yes, you're right. If we lie to her, she'll get all better."

Lily and River pursed their lips in anger and anxiety as the Doctor turned to Amy and began to mutter: "Right. Amy, Amy, Amy. What's the matter with Amelia? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?"

"Doctor." Amy whimpered and the Doctor said shortly: "Busy."

"Scared." Amy retorted, and the Doctor replied: "Course you're scared. You're dying. Shut up."

Lily glared at him but he took her free hand, squeezing it reassuringly as River leant down and soothed Amy: "Okay, let him think."

"Lily." Amy whimpered, and Lily leaned down to her eye level, saying gently: "I'm here, don't worry, we'll get you out of this. I promise."

"What happened?" The Doctor was muttering as he ignored them. "She stared at the Angel. She looked into the eyes of an Angel for too long-"

Marco called: "Sir! Angel incoming."

"And here." Another cleric reported.

"Keep visual contact. Do not let it move." Octavian shouted back.

The Doctor let go of Lily's hand and he began to pace, hitting himself in the head as he muttered: "Come on, come on, come on. Wakey, wakey. She watched an Angel climb out of the screen. She stared at the Angel and, and…"

"The image of an Angel is an Angel." Amy said in a croaky voice, and Lily's eyes widened.

She peered down at Amy's eyes as the Doctor continued: "A living mental image in a living human mind."

"Doctor." Lily said, frozen in fear at what she could see.

He went on, thinking aloud: "But we stare at them to stop them getting closer. We don't even blink, and that is exactly what they want. Because as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside. There's an Angel in her mind."

He realized the horror of what he'd said and clasped his hands over his mouth as he sat back down beside Lily. River's mouth fell open and she reeled back in terror as Lily stayed frozen in fear, staring at the face of an Angel inside Amy's pupil just as Amy said: "Three."

The Doctor stood up again, his mind racing while Amy whispered: "Doctor, Lily, it's coming. I can feel it. I'm going to die."

"Please just shut up. I'm thinking." The Doctor replied as he stared into space.

"Now, counting. What's that about? Bob," he suddenly called as he spoke into his com once more, "why are they making her count?"

"To make her afraid, sir." Angel Bob replied and the Doctor asked impatiently: "Okay, but why? What for?"

"For fun, sir." Angel Bob replied, and Lily's eyes narrowed in anger.

The Doctor paused before he began to shake in anger and he growled wordlessly as he threw the com far away, furious. Lily reached up with her free hand to touch his, sharing in his anger but trying to calm him so they could help Amy.

He gripped her hand as Amy asked flatly, her voice shaking just a little: "Doctor, what's happening to me? Explain."

The Doctor bent down to sit beside Lily once more as he explained: "Inside your head, in the vision centres of your brain, there's an Angel. It's like there's a screen, a virtual screen inside your mind and the Angel is climbing out of it, and it's coming… to shut you off."

He admitted and River looked between him and Amy in alarm as Lily tightened her grip on Amy's hand.

Amy gripped Lily's hand as she whispered in fear: "Then what I do?"

"If it was a real screen, what would we do?" The Doctor muttered. "We'd pull the plug. We'd kill the power. But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would just take over."

He let go of Lily's hand once more as he began to pace. River demanded: "Then what? Quickly."

She urged and the Doctor rattled off as he thought out loud: "We've got to shut down the vision centres of her brain. We've got to pull the plug. Starve the Angel."

River was staring at the med scanner and she said shakily: "Doctor, she's got seconds."

"How would you starve your lungs?" The Doctor wondered and Lily's eyes lit up as she replied: "I'd stop breathing. Doctor-!"

The Doctor also understood and he ordered: "Amy, close your eyes."

Lily watched anxiously as Amy moaned, turning away slightly as she whined: "No. No, I don't want to."

The Doctor leapt at that, leaning in as he said urgently: "Good, because that's not you, that's the Angel inside you. It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes." He urged as he leaned down by her head

Amy glanced at him and then Lily, who nodded encouragingly. Amy took a deep breath before she squeezed her eyes shut. Lily and the Doctor stared at her anxiously, and both looked up in alarm as the med scanner began to beep.

River was watching it, and she breathed: "She's normalizing."

Lily gasped out a breath in relief, sagging against the Doctor as River breathed delightedly: "Oh, you did it. You did it."

She smiled and the Doctor grinned as he wrapped an arm around Lily tightly to support her as he calmed his own hearts. Unfortunately, their brief moment was ruined as a cleric called: "Sir? Two more incoming."

"Three more over here." Another added and Octavian glanced over at the three huddled around Amy.

River checked the med scanner and she informed the Doctor and Lily: "Still weak. Dangerous to move her."

Lily bit her lip anxiously, and the Doctor gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"So, can I open my eyes now?" Amy asked.

Lily's face fell while the Doctor said urgently: "Amy, listen to me. If you open your eyes now for more than a second, you will die."

Lily hung her head and River sat beside Amy, holding her reassuringly. The Doctor continued: "The Angel is still inside you. We haven't stopped it, we've just, sort of… paused it. You've used up your countdown."

He hung his head briefly as well before he finished seriously: "You cannot open your eyes."

His hand gripped Lily's shoulder. Octavian piped up warningly: "Doctor, we're too exposed here. We have to move on."

The Doctor sighed quietly before he let go of Lily, standing up straight as he snapped: "We're too exposed everywhere. And Amy can't move. And anyway, that's not the plan."

"There's a plan?" River asked and Lily replied: "He's making it up now."

The Doctor nodded as he explained: "I haven't finished talking. Right!"

He leapt off to look around at the clerics, ordering: "Father, you and your Clerics, you're going to stay here, look after Amy. If anything happens to her, I'll hold every single one of you personally responsible, twice."

He warned before he continued: "Lily, River, you two are with me, we're going to find the Primary Flight Deck which is…"

He licked his finger and held it up to the air. He wagged it a little and pointed off as he went on: "A quarter of a mile straight ahead, and from there we're going to stabilise the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Amy."

"In that order?" Lily teased, and he grinned as he walked back to them.

"How?" River asked impatiently.

"I'll do a thing." The Doctor replied and River asked: "What thing?"

"He doesn't know yet." Lily said smugly at the same time the Doctor replied: "I don't know."

He mock-glared and he wagged a finger at Lily as he said: "It's a thing in progress. Respect the thing. Moving out!"

He clapped his hands to emphasize his point. River sighed while Lily reached over to hug Amy.

"I want to come with." The redhead whispered and Lily smiled sadly.

"Sorry, Amy, but you can't, not when you can't move." Lily whispered back as Octavian called to the Doctor: "Doctor, I'm coming with you. My clerics'll look after Miss Pond. These are my best men. They'd lay down their lives in her protection."

"I don't need you." The Doctor told the man flatly and Octavian replied just as flatly: "I don't care. Where Dr. Song goes, I go."

River had gotten up to join them after giving Amy one final squeeze, and the Doctor glanced between Octavian and River as he asked derisively: "What? You two engaged or something?"

River looked a little alarmed and Octavian glanced at her before replying to the Doctor tightly: "Yes, in a manner of speaking."

The Doctor raised his brows and looked between them amusedly once more. River grimaced a little, but Octavian just turned away, ordering: "Marco, you're in charge till I get back."

"Sir." Marco replied in affirmative, and the clerics spread out a little more as River and Octavian began to move in the direction the Doctor had pointed.

"Doctor." Lily called in a low voice as Amy clutched her hand tightly.

He glanced over as Amy begged: "Lily? Doctor? Please, can't I come with you?"

"You'd slow us down, Miss Pond." Octavian called over his shoulder. Lily glared at him and the Doctor's hands curled into fists as he sent the other man an annoyed glance.

The Doctor bent down to the girls' eye levels as Amy said in a shaky voice: "I don't want to sound selfish, but you'd really speed me up."

Lily squeezed her hands sympathetically as the Doctor murmured to Amy softly: "You'll be safer here. We can't protect you on the move. We'll be back for you soon as we can, I promise."

He finished seriously, and Amy muttered petulantly: "You always say that."

"I always come back." The Doctor pointed out and Amy bit out: "After how many years?"

He had no response but Lily said gently: "I won't let him leave you here. Amy, I promise, we'll be back for you soon."

Amy paused, but then nodded slowly. The Doctor beamed, and as Lily gave Amy one final hug, he stood up and called to the clerics: "Good luck, everyone. Behave. Do not let that girl open her eyes."

He indicated Amy as Lily stood up at last and the Doctor finished saying: "And keep watching the forest. Stop those Angels advancing. Amy, later. River, going to need your computer!" He called as he took Lily's hand and ran off after River and Octavian.

"Amy, stay safe!" Lily called as she ran with the Doctor, wishing there was some way they could've taken Amy with them.

She knew the redhead had a fear of being left alone, after her parents died and especially after the Doctor had abandoned her for those twelve years. And Lily understood that- it was what had connected her and Amy in the first place. That perpetual feeling of loneliness. And now, she was leaving Amy too.

But they didn't have a choice, so Lily hurried after the others, catching up to the Doctor as he typed on River's mini-computer, inputting something as he read off his sonic screwdriver. River glanced back at him, asking: "What's that?"

He answered absently as the group walked carefully through the forest: "Er, readings from a crack in the wall."

"How can a crack in the wall be the end of the universe?" River asked.

Lily had been wondering the same thing, but she frowned in confusion as the Doctor replied: "Don't know, but here's what I think. One day there's going to be a very big bang. So big every moment in history, past and future, will crack."

"Is that possible? How?" River asked incredulously.

The Doctor ignored her words, instead asking suddenly: "How can you be engaged, in a manner of speaking?"

He stopped to level a look at River, who looked a little guilty. The Doctor noticed that she glanced quickly at Lily before looking back at Octavian, as she said lightly: "Well, sucker for a man in uniform."

Octavian looked back at them, his brows raised. Lily was unconvinced as she glanced at them, and her hunch was proven correct as Octavian walked over to her, River and the Doctor.

River's face fell and she was looking at Octavian warningly but Octavian had apparently had enough as he told them: "Dr. Song's in my personal custody."

Lily blinked in surprise as Octavian continued: "I released her from the Stormcage Containment Facility four days ago," the Doctor looked up in surprise and glanced at River curiously, "and I am legally responsible for her until she's accomplished her mission and earned her pardon."

River's mouth had fallen open, indignantly but Octavian scoffed: "Just so we understand each other."

The man turned away, leading them on once more while the Doctor asked River in genuine surprise: "You were in Stormcage?"

"What's Stormcage?" Lily asked curiously and the Doctor replied lightly: "It's the most secure prison in the universe."

Lily looked at River in surprise, and River looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole… or shoot something. But at that moment, the Doctor's computer beeped and he quickly looked down at it as the girls glanced over.

"What? What is that?" River asked as the Doctor lifted the computer. Lily peered over his shoulder, but she couldn't understand the code.

"The date." The Doctor murmured. "The date of the explosion, where the crack begins."

Lily frowned, as did River who asked pointedly: "And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?"

The code changed, becoming numbers. 26 06 2010. Lily's eyes widened and the Doctor breathed: "Lily and Amy's time."

"That date…" Lily murmured and the Doctor glanced at her. The group exchanged looks but moved on silently, each becoming lost in thought.


	15. 5-3 Time

The four stood outside the Primary Flight deck, River standing guard with her gun drawn. Octavian stood by the door as Lily stood beside the Doctor as he punched into his computer.

Octavian commented: "It doesn't open it from here, but it's the Primary Flight Deck. This has got to be a service hatch or something."

He grunted as he tried to open the door, and Lily sighed. She glanced around nervously as River said tightly: "Hurry up and open it. Time's running out."

"What?" The Doctor asked suddenly, looking up from his computer. "What did you say? 'Time's running out', is that what you said?"

River glanced at Lily, the two sharing quizzical looks as River said confusedly: "Yeah, I just meant-"

"I know what you meant. Hush." The Doctor interrupted irritably.

River threw him an annoyed glance, sending Lily a pointed look as well. The brunette shrugged helplessly while the Doctor asked randomly: "But what if it could?"

"What if what could?" River asked annoyed and the Doctor replied thoughtfully: "Time. What if time could run out?"

Lily glanced at him as he stood pensively, while Octavian called: "Got it."

Octavian began to pull on a small hatch as the Doctor fired off quickly: "Cracks. Cracks in time. Time running out. No, couldn't be. Couldn't be. But how is a duck pond a duck pond if there aren't any ducks? And she didn't recognise the Daleks."

He suddenly whirled around, grabbing Lily's shoulders and looking her in the eyes as he continued rapidly: "And you didn't remember either, but you should have."

He paused, staring at her as Lily stared back in alarm and confusion. _Remember what?_

The Doctor said slowly: "Okay, time can shift. Time can change. Time can be rewritten. Ah. Oh!"

His face changed into a look of horror, and Lily glanced at River in alarm, but the blonde woman looked just as confused. The Doctor meanwhile was now staring blankly ahead as he fully understood the impact of the meaning behind those cracks.

Octavian pulled open the hatch and he ordered: "Dr. Song, get through, now. Miss Tyler."

Lily glanced back, seeing River disappear through the hatch. She hesitated, glancing at the Doctor. Octavian saw and he asked: "Doctor?"

The Doctor was fidgeting, and he began to draw in a circle, before going counter-clockwise. Octavian called sharply: "Doctor."

Lily tugged on him and the Doctor murmured: "Time can be unwritten."

"Doctor?" Lily asked, a little alarmed, and he turned to her as he said with wide eyes: "It's been happening all around me and I haven't even noticed."

Lily shook her head, not understanding, while Octavian called urgently: "Doctor, we have to move."

The Doctor meanwhile said as another realization hit him: "The CyberKing. A giant Cyberman walks over all of Victorian London and no one remembers."

Octavian walked over, grabbing Lily and the Doctor as he said sternly: "We have to move it. The Angels could be here any second."

"Never mind the Angels." The Doctor said irritably, shrugging Octavian off. The other man's lips pressed together in anger, but he quickly ushered Lily towards the hatch. Lily glanced back, but Octavian was firm as he pushed her through.

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor's mind was racing and as Octavian returned to him, he muttered: "There's worse here than Angels."

The lights flickered and he heard a gagging sound behind him. The Doctor whipped around to see an Angel with its arm wrapped tightly around Octavian's throat, the man gasping for breath. The Doctor froze in horror, staring at the Angel as Octavian said quietly: "I beg to differ, sir."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic, pointing it at the Angel and he ordered: "Let him go."

"Well, it can't let me go, sir, can it?" Octavian pointed out. "Not while you're looking at it."

"I can't stop looking at it, it'll kill you." The Doctor retorted and Octavian replied quietly: "It's going to kill me anyway. Think it through. There's no way out of this. You have to leave me."

"Can't you wriggle out?" The Doctor tried desperately, but Octavian replied tightly: "No, it's too tight. You have to leave me, sir. There's nothing you can do."

The Doctor pointed his sonic at the Angel desperately, unwilling to leave, but Octavian told him softly: "Sir, there's nothing you can do."

"You're dead if I leave you." The Doctor retorted and Octavian replied bravely: "Yes. Yes, I'm dead. And before you go-"

"I'm not going." The Doctor interjected, his eyes filling with tears as he stared at the Angel.

"Listen to me, it's important." Octavian hissed urgently. "You can't trust her."

"Trust who?" The Doctor asked, finally lowering his sonic.

"River Song." Octavian told him grimly. "Tell Miss Tyler- you cannot trust her. You think you know her, but you don't. You don't understand who or what she is."

The Doctor paused, before demanding: "Then tell me."

Octavian twitched his head, trying his best to shake it as he replied: "I've told you more than I should. Now please, you have to go. It's your duty to your friends, and that girl. Miss Tyler."

The Doctor hesitated and then asked at last: "Just tell me why she was in Stormcage?"

Octavian hesitated before he said softly: "She killed a man. A good man. A hero to many."

"Who?" The Doctor asked, and Octavian replied urgently: "You don't want to know, sir. You really don't."

"Who did she kill?" The Doctor just repeated, staring at the Angel and Octavian intently.

Octavian said urgently: "Sir, the Angels are coming. You have to leave me."

The Doctor's eye twitched as he said quietly: "You'll die."

Octavian merely replied: "I will die in the knowledge that my courage did not desert me at the end. For that I thank God, and bless the path that takes you to safety."

He bowed his head as best as he could at the Doctor. The Doctor paused, unwilling to leave and he swallowed before he said sorrowfully: "I wish I'd known you better."

"I think, sir, you know me at my best." Octavian replied.

The Doctor nodded slowly, asking softly: "Ready?"

"Content." Octavian replied bravely, his eyes closed as he embraced his fate. The Doctor took a deep breath, fighting his tears as he backed away slowly, reaching the hatch and then diving through and slamming it shut behind him, staring back to see the Angel gone and Octavian on the ground.

Lily P.O.V.

As soon as the Doctor was inside, she knew something was wrong. His face as he'd jumped inside, which she'd glimpsed just before he shut the hatch behind him, had been one of agony. Lily leaned down, touching his shoulder gently, and the Doctor slowly stood up, not looking over.

River called from her place by the consoles: "There's a teleport. If I can get it to work. we can beam the others here."

She looked up at last as the Doctor turned back to the room, and finally noticed something was wrong.

"Where's Octavian?" She asked and Lily tensed as the Doctor replied flatly: "Octavian's dead."

The Doctor strode over to River, saying darkly as she glanced at him in shock: "So is that teleport. You're wasting your time. I'm going to need your communicator."

He took it without waiting for a response, and Lily walked over to squeeze River's shoulder as the woman stood, stunned. Both of them glanced over at the Doctor worriedly as he switched on the com and they heard Amy call: "Hello? Hello?"

"Amy?" The Doctor spoke into the com quickly. "Amy? Is that you?"

Lily sighed happily as she heard Amy reply, breathless with relief: "Doctor?"

The Doctor glanced at Lily, sharing her joy as he asked quickly: "Where are you? Are the Clerics with you?"

"They've gone." Amy replied and Lily's smile dropped immediately. She leaned over to the Doctor, biting her lip anxiously as Amy continued: "There was a light and they walked into the light. Doctor, they didn't even remember each other."

River walked over as well, concerned, while the Doctor murmured: "No, they wouldn't."

"What is that light?" River asked and Lily added: "Was it a crack? Like before?"

The Doctor sighed, nodding at Lily as he told River: "Time running out."

Lily's face paled and River began to work on the consoles again urgently as the Doctor said into the com: "Amy, I'm sorry, I made a mistake. I should never have left you there."

"Doctor?" Lily asked in alarm, while Amy asked desperately: "Well, what do I do now?"

The Doctor was fiddling with the other console, switching on a camera in the forest as he ordered: "You come to us. The Primary Flight Deck, the other end of the forest."

"How?" Lily demanded frantically as Amy reminded him tightly: "I can't see. I can't open my eyes."

"Turn on the spot." The Doctor ordered, and Amy asked confusedly: "Sorry, what?"

"Just do it." The Doctor snapped as he soniced the comm. "Turn on the spot. When the communicator sounds like my screwdriver, that means you're facing the right way. Follow the sound."

Lily clutched the console, leaning over anxiously. The Doctor ordered Amy: "You have to start moving now. There's Time Energy spilling out of that crack, and you have to stay ahead of it."

"But the Angels, they're everywhere." Amy cried, and the Doctor replied flatly: "Yeah, and I'm sorry, I really am, but the Angels can only kill you."

Lily's heart stopped and she whirled on him as Amy asked, her voice shaking: "What does the Time Energy do?"

"Just keep moving!" The Doctor ordered and Lily demanded: "Doctor, what is it?"

"Tell me." Amy ordered tightly.

The Doctor finally snapped at the girls: "If the Time Energy catches up with you, you'll never have been born. It will erase every moment of your existence. You will never have lived at all."

Lily's blood ran cold and her heart sank.

"Oh, my God." She whispered, and the Doctor ordered into his com with forced calm: "Now, keep your eyes shut, and keep moving."

"It's never going to work." River said flatly and the Doctor snapped, shouting at her furiously: "What else have you got! River! Tell me!"

River had jumped with fright and she now stared at him with her brows knitted and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Doctor." Lily whispered, and he turned away from River, looking at Lily.

His gaze softened as he saw her white but worried face, and as she reached out in an attempt to calm him, he took her hands and pulled her into him. She clung to him as he wrapped his arms around her, murmuring soothingly: "It's alright, it'll be fine."

"We left her there." Lily whispered in anguish, and the Doctor replied firmly: "She'll be fine. She'll make it."

But Lily was unconvinced and she knew he knew it. But it was the best he could offer right now, and River stared at the pair tightly. They all started as clanging sounds began to echo around the ship, and River asked fearfully: "What's that?"

The Doctor lifted his head from Lily's, looking up as he murmured: "The Angels running from the fire. They came here to feed on the Time Energy, now it's going to feed on them."

He let Lily go slightly so he could speak into the com as he soniced it again, saying urgently: "Amy, listen to me. I'm sending a bit of software to your communicator. It's a proximity detector; it'll beep if there's something in your way. You just maneuver till the beeping stops."

He finished sonicing it and stared down while Lily as she stared up at him with terrified eyes as he said to Amy: "Because, Amy, this is important. The forest is full of Angels."

He took a deep breath. River was breathing heavily and the Doctor never moved his eyes away from Lily's as he told Amy: "You're going to have to walk like you can see."

Lily's grip on his side tightened as she stared wide-eyed in fear as Amy cried: "Well, what do you mean?"

"Look, just keep moving." The Doctor said desperately.

River asked as she turned back to her work: "That Time Energy, what's it going to do?"

"Er, keep eating." The Doctor replied as he finally broke eye contact with Lily.

He was rubbing his face, in a mix of emotional exhaustion, irritation and desperation. Lily's hands were holding his sides tightly as she watched him worriedly and River asked: "How do we stop it?"

"Feed it." The Doctor replied shortly, and River glanced over as she asked sharply: "Feed it what?"

Lily's heart raced with adrenaline as the Doctor replied: "A big, complicated space time event should shut it up for a while."

Lily's heart dropped while River demanded: "Like what, for instance?"

"Like me, for instance!" The Doctor shouted angrily, and River's face became horrified.

The Doctor let go of Lily but she held on, dragging him to her level and when he glanced down she snapped determinedly: "Over my dead body."

"That's what I'm worried about." The Doctor snapped back and Lily retorted: "I'll worry about me, you worry about getting us out!"

The Doctor blinked, his jaw becoming slack but they were interrupted as a beeping sound resonated from the communicator, indicating Amy was in trouble.

"What's that?" Amy asked, and the Doctor replied grimly: "It's a warning. There are Angels round you now."

Lily closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as the Doctor said shakily: "Amy, listen to me. This is going to be hard but I know you can do it."

Lily buried her face into the Doctor's chest and he held her close as he told Amy: "The Angels are scared and running, and right now they're not that interested in you. They'll assume you can see them, and their instincts will kick in. All you've got to do is walk like you can see."

He swallowed painfully, also closing his eyes as he said in anguish: "Just don't open your eyes. Walk like you can see."

He hugged Lily tightly, and opened his eyes as he waited. River's face was drawn tight as well as she glanced over as well, also anxious.

"You're not moving. You have to do this." The Doctor begged, and they waited again, but the com just continued to beep constantly.

"Now." The Doctor prompted, but there was still no change. Lily lifted her head staring at the com as the Doctor cried: "You have to do this!"

"Amy, you have to try." Lily begged and finally the beeping changed patterns, indicating Amy was moving once more. They listened anxiously as the beeps went from constant to urgent, indicating Amy was too close to an Angel, before fading back.

This pattern continued for a while, when suddenly Amy called anxiously: "Doctor? I can't find the communicator."

River began to work frantically and Lily let the Doctor go in alarm. The Doctor began to dash about the room, while Lily ran over to help River as Amy continued to cry: "I dropped it. I can't find it, Doctor. Doctor."

"Doctor, the sonic!" Lily called.

He tossed it over and she caught it expertly, pointing it at the wires River was working at. Amy was calling: "Doctor. Doctor!"

"There!" Lily urged and River punched buttons on the console.

"Doctor." Amy whispered and Lily hit a big red button.

Amy suddenly appeared in the center of the room and River immediately hugged her, catching the redhead as she said urgently: Don't open your eyes. You're on the Flight Deck. The Doctor's here. Lily and I teleported you."

Lily hurried over as River sat Amy down and River called over to the Doctor: "See? Told you I could get it working."

"You had help." The Doctor scoffed.

"Yeah, from your girl, not you, so you can't talk." River pointed out.

The Doctor smiled and River grinned back at him. Lily didn't pay attention to them as she checked Amy, asking the other girl urgently: "Are you alright? Nothing broken?"

Amy nodded numbly, when an alarm began to blare. River and Lily looked around in alarm, River asking: "What's that?"

The Doctor looked up and said as he realized: "The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means," he dashed to face the back wall as River and Lily's eyes widened in horror, "the shield's going to release."

They watched as the wall slid open to reveal an entire crowd of the Angels standing right outside. The Doctor paused before the lead Angel, saying flatly: "Angel Bob, I presume."

Lily flinched as she heard Bob's voice speak once more, saying: "The Time Field is coming. It will destroy our reality."

The Doctor's face was impassive as he replied: "Yeah, and look at you all, running away. What can I do for you?"

Lily's hand on Amy tightened and River kept her arms wrapped safely around the redhead as Bob's voice said: "There is a rupture in time. The Angels calculate that if you throw yourself into it, it will close, and they will be saved."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The Doctor said impatiently. "Could do, could do that. But why?"

Bob replied pointedly: "Your friends will also be saved."

"For about a second longer before _you_ kill us." Lily snapped at the Angel while the Doctor conceded to Angel Bob: "Well, there is that."

"Doctor!" Lily scolded and he shrugged as River hurried over to the Doctor, saying urgently: "I've travelled in time. I'm a complicated space-time event too. Throw me in."

The Doctor scoffed: "Oh, be serious. Compared to me, these Angels are more complicated than you, and it would take every one of them to amount to me, so get a grip."

Lily's eyes widened and she quickly tugged on Amy, pulling her up. River however snapped at the Doctor: "Doctor, I can't let you do this."

The Doctor insisted: "No, seriously, get a grip."

Amy was looking puzzled as Lily pulled her over to the arguing pair as River snarled at the Doctor: "You're not going to die here!"

The Doctor snapped, annoyed: "No, I mean it. River, Amy, get a grip. Lily's already got the idea!"

He gripped River's arm as a hint and she finally understood.

"Oh, you genius." River breathed before hurrying back to the girls, taking Amy from Lily and pulling her firmly towards one of the consoles.

Lily moved to the other console, behind the Doctor as Angel Bob demanded: "Sir, the Angels need you to sacrifice yourself now."

The Doctor retorted mockingly: "Thing is, Bob, the Angels are draining all the power from this ship. Every last bit of it. And you know what?"

He took a step back, closer to Lily as he smirked and said: "I think they've forgotten where they're standing. I think they've forgotten the _gravity_ of the situation. Or to put it another way, Angels."

River had placed Amy's hand on the handrails on the console, also gripping it tightly. Lily was doing the same on the other console as the screen blared the warning: 'Gravity Failing.'

The Doctor grinned as he told the Angels: "Night, night."

He reached back and grabbed the railings, hanging on tight as the ship's power failed and the gravity pull failed. Lily hung on tight as the ship tilted and her feet left the ground, floating over air while the Angels fell backwards through the forest and into the crack on the opposite side of the ship. As the last of the Angels fell through, the crack closed, leaving no trace of its or the Angels' existence behind.

* * *

Amy sat wrapped in a blanket on the beach, Lily sitting beside her as the Doctor stood beside them. The Tardis was a few paces away, and they would be leaving as soon as they saw River off.

"Ah. Bruised everywhere." Amy groaned, and Lily smiled a little as the Doctor replied: "Me too."

Amy glared at him as she retorted: "You didn't have to climb out with your eyes shut."

Lily laughed, shaking her head as the Doctor pointed out: "Neither did you. I kept saying. The Angels all fell into the Time Field. The Angel in your memory never existed. It can't harm you now."

Amy stared at him as she asked pensively: "Then why do I remember it at all? Those guys on the ship didn't remember each other."

The Doctor smiled as he explained: "You're a time traveller now. Amy. It changes the way you see the universe. Forever. Good, isn't it?" He asked and both Lily and Amy chuckled with him.

He smiled lightly at them, but Amy's faded as she asked: "And the crack, is that gone too?"

Lily pursed her lips as the Doctor replied slowly: "Yeah, for now. But the explosion that caused it is still happening."

He turned to look out over the sea as he said pensively: "Somewhere out there, somewhere in time."

Amy turned to stare out into the ocean as well while Lily's eyes turned to stare pensively at the Tardis. The Doctor turned to walk over to River, who stood a few paces away, also staring out at the sea. As the Doctor paused sheepishly beside her, River said lightly: "You, me, handcuffs."

She held up her cuffed hands, asking with a teasing sigh: "Must it always end this way?"

The Doctor chuckled as River smiled, before he asked expectantly: "What now?"

"The prison ship's in orbit." River replied with a smile. "They'll beam me up any second. I might have done enough to earn a pardon this time. We'll see."

She shrugged and the Doctor's face was pensive as he turned to face her, saying: "Octavian said you killed a man."

The smile slid off River's face as she replied seriously: "Yes, I did."

"A good man." The Doctor added and River replied sadly and seriously: "A very good man. One of the best men I've ever known."

The Doctor waited, before he asked: "Who?"

River chuckled a little before she replied: "It's a long story. Doctor. It can't be told, it has to be lived. No sneak previews. Well," she added with a grim smile, "except for this one."

The Doctor grinned, and River smiled as she told him: "You'll see me again quite soon, when the Pandorica opens."

"The Pandorica." The Doctor repeated with a light chuckle, and he smirked: "Ha!"

The Doctor leaned in as he said with raised brows: "That's a fairy tale."

River laughed as she replied: "Doctor, aren't we all? I'll see you there."

He paused, and he asked slowly: "And Lily?"

"And Lily." River smiled as she also answered the unspoken question in his eyes.

He nodded as he replied: "I look forward to it, then."

River smiled and replied as Amy and Lily walked over at last: "I remember it well."

The Doctor laughed at that before going to stand beside Lily as Amy said softly: "Bye, River."

"See you, Amy." River grinned.

Her watch comm beeped and she commented: "Oh, I think that's my ride."

Lily smiled and said lightly: "See you around, Rive."

"You can bet on it." River smiled and Lily grinned.

The Doctor suddenly asked: "Can I trust you, River Song?"

Lily looked at him in surprise, but River heard his real question and smiled. Her eyes slid over to Lily as she replied: "Mm, if you like. But there's only one person the Doctor will ever trust, isn't there?"

And with that, River disappeared as she was beamed away in a whirl of sand. The Doctor grinned and Lily glanced at him as he hugged her.

"What was that about?" She asked, but he just shrugged as he replied: "Nothing."

She raised her brows but let it go as he turned to look at the Tardis pensively. Amy walked over, and asked as she saw his gaze: "What are you thinking?"

"Time can be rewritten." The Doctor grinned, his eyes sliding to Lily covertly before turning back to the Tarids.

As the three walked in and the Doctor took them off, Amy suddenly piped up: "I want to go home."

The Doctor paused, freezing for a moment while Lily glanced over at Amy in surprise. The Doctor hesitated before just replied softly: "Okay."

Amy smiled at him and she chided: "No, not like that."

She walked up to the Doctor, looking at him seriously as she explained: "I just, I just want to show you something. You're running from River, at least you think you are. I'm running too."

Lily's eyes widened in understanding while the Doctor looked puzzled. He glanced at her, but she just nodded at him encouragingly so the Doctor replied slowly: "Okay. The Pond residence it is."

Lily and Amy cracked a smile each as the Doctor took them to Amy's house. But when they arrived and the Doctor looked over, Lily shook her head.

"You two go." She told him firmly as Amy walked out ahead. "I think she'll want to talk to you alone about this one."

The Doctor nodded slowly, still confused, as he walked out and Lily leaned back on the console. She knew Amy was going to finally tell the Doctor about her wedding tomorrow, and she knew Amy would want to do it alone. After all, to the redhead, the Doctor was a special person from her childhood, and Lily realized that he was quite possibly her first love in some ways.

She figured Amy would want to talk in private with him about that, particularly after their near death experiences. So she was startled when Amy was shoved back into the Tardis maybe ten minutes later, the Doctor right behind her.

"What?" Lily asked blankly as the Doctor stormed in, rushing to the console while Amy glanced at Lily before a guilty look flooded her features.

"What happened?" Lily asked, puzzled as she glanced between the sheepish Amy and the determined Doctor.

"Um, nothing." Amy replied sheepishly while the Doctor announced at the same time: "Amy tried to kiss me."

Lily's jaw dropped, and for a moment she froze as she felt as though someone had taken an icicle and stabbed her in the heart. But, less than a heartbeat later something else dawned on her, and Lily asked in disbelief: "What?!"

Amy winced while the Doctor continued: "And we are going to sort her out and fix this whole thing immediately."

"You tried to kiss him?" Lily repeated, staring at Amy incredulously.

Amy opened her mouth but the Doctor cut in: "Oh, she managed to as well."

"Doctor." Amy gasped, aghast and he seemed to realize what he'd said a moment too late as he glanced at Lily and murmured: "Oops."

"You kissed him?!" Lily shrieked and Amy winced while the Doctor began hastily: "Lily, love-"

"Are you insane?" Lily interrupted as she shouted at Amy.

Amy looked offended and the Doctor opened his mouth again, when Lily demanded: "What about poor Rory? How could you betray him like that? You're getting married in the morning!"

Amy blinked as Lily fumed while the Doctor frowned.

"Hang on," he interjected, "you're just worried about how Rory will react?"

Lily glared at him as she snapped: "How is it 'just worried'? The poor guy's in love with you," she added, turning back to Amy who was now looking rightly contrite, "and ready to declare his love for you and you go and kiss another man after running away with him on the night before your wedding?"

"It was a heat of the moment, 'thank God I'm alive', kind of things!" Amy cried desperately. "I didn't mean anything with it, I was just relieved and stressed and-"

"And we're going to get Rory." The Doctor chimed in, and Amy agreed: "And we're going to get…"

Both girls whipped around to stare at him, crying: "What?!"

*A/N I just wanted to take this time to also say thank you to all my readers, and for all the reviews and favourites. It means so much to me when I receive the notifications, and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend!


	16. 6-1 Vampires of Venice

The girls stood awkwardly by the Tardis console, waiting for the Doctor to return. He'd gone off on his own to find Rory, who would be celebrating at his stag party, leaving the two in an awkward silence. Amy was feeling incredibly guilty and ashamed while Lily was feeling extremely annoyed. Though only because she felt sorry for Rory, not for any personal reasons, nope, none… who was she kidding?

"Sorry." Amy whispered at last, and Lily glanced over, startled from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, alright? I promise, I just wasn't thinking straight. Or at all really." Amy sighed and Lily pointed out: "You should be saying that to Rory, not me."

Amy looked at her pointedly as she replied: "But you need to hear it too, as my friend. I was just… a little jealous, I guess, because I waited for so long for the Doctor to return, and then he was giving you so much attention, but… it wasn't right. I love Rory, no matter what else, and you love the Doctor so it wasn't fair-"

"Wait, wait." Lily interrupted quickly and Amy stopped, looking at her friend in surprise.

"What makes you think I love the Doctor?" Lily demanded and Amy scoffed: "Oh, come on, it was so obvious. Especially when you were uncomfortable around River."

"I wasn't…" Lily trailed off in defeat as Amy raised her brows knowingly.

Lily sighed as she conceded: "Alright, fine. I think…" her voice faltered slightly, "I might…"

She trailed off, turning red and Amy laughed at her a little as she said: "Mmm, I know you felt like you couldn't tell me because the Doctor's special to me. But it's different, you know that. Rory's the right man for me."

Lily smiled at that, and opened her mouth when Amy added: "Besides, the Doctor suits you anyway."

Lily snorted as she replied: "Yeah, well, he's destined for River remember? And besides, just because I might like him doesn't mean he feels the same way."

Amy stared at her incredulously before she realized: "Oh… you-"

Amy was interrupted as the Tardis door flew open, and she became nervous once more as the Doctor returned, dragging Rory in behind him. Lily was puzzled about what Amy had been about to say, but she was more concerned about Rory as she saw his face when he met eyes with Amy.

The Doctor dragged Rory up to the console and then dashed away, heading below the console where he sat on a swing as he began to weld some of the parts, saying loudly: "Oh, the life out there, it dazzles."

Amy began to chew on her nails anxiously as she paced above anxiously staring at Rory, who was looking both dazed and annoyed. The Doctor continued as Rory peered down at the other man: "I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans."

"Not your best choice of words." Lily commented with a wince.

"Pipe down, you." The Doctor retorted, just as something on the console burst, sending up sparks.

They all stared down at the Doctor, who said sheepishly: "It's meant to do that."

He continued what he was saying before: "Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart."

He lifted his protective goggles to stare at Rory as he finished delightedly: "So, I'm sending you somewhere," he glanced at Amy as well, "together."

Amy asked in surprise, her brows furrowing in confusion: "Whoa. What, like a date?"

"Anywhere you want." The Doctor replied airily. "Any time you want. One condition." He added as he began to make his way back to the console. "It has to be amazing."

He grinned as he suggested, spinning about the console: "The Moulin Rouge in 1890. The first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present, because it's either this or tokens."

He finally spotted Rory still standing where he'd originally left him, and the Doctor walked over, saying sympathetically: "It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Tiny box, huge room inside. What's that about? Let me explain…"

Lily sighed but was surprised as Rory said flatly: "It's another dimension"

The Doctor said proudly: "It's basically another dimens- What?" He asked, staring at Rory in confusion.

"After what happened with Prisoner Zero," Rory explained, "I've been reading up on all the latest scientific theories. FTL travel, parallel universes."

The Doctor interrupted in a dark voice as he walked up close to Rory: "I like the bit when someone says it's bigger on the inside. I always look forward to that."

Lily rolled her eyes while Amy said loudly: "So, this date. I'm kind of done with running down corridors."

She looked pointedly at the Doctor, who rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. Lily grinned as he walked over towards her while Amy walked over to Rory, asking: "What do you think, Rory?"

The Doctor interjected as he glanced down at Lily: "How about somewhere," he pulled a lever and they all grabbed hold as the Tardis began to wheeze, "romantic?"

* * *

The Doctor threw open the doors and he stepped out proudly, spreading his arms out wide as the others stepped out behind him.

"Venice!" He declared as they stared around the market place and Lily's eyes widened in delight.

She and Amy laughed as the Doctor continued triumphantly: "Venezia! La Serenissima!"

As they walked a little further forward, the Doctor lowered his arms and his voice as he continued admiringly: "Impossible city. Preposterous city. Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world."

He began to walk off, and they all followed excitedly as the Doctor went on enthusiastically: "Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding, constantly… just beautiful. Ah, you got to love Venice. So many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova. Ooo, that reminds me."

He suddenly broke off, checking his watch and he breathed in relief: "1580. That's all right. Casanova doesn't get born for a hundred and forty five years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken."

Lily snorted in amusement while Rory asked in disbelief: "You owe Casanova a chicken?"

"Long story." The Doctor called over his shoulder as he walked off again. "We had a bet."

They were suddenly stopped by an official at the gates, who cried: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Papers, if you please. Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection."

The Doctor just pulled out his psychic paper, holding it up to the man offhandedly as he said calmly: "There you go, fellow."

The man snatched the paper from the Doctor looking irritated, but his eyes bulged as he read what the paper said. The Doctor said lightly: "All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find."

The inspector's mouth had fallen open in shock and he said hastily, bowing low to the Doctor: "I am so sorry, Your Holiness. I didn't realise."

The Doctor casually blessed the man as Lily watched in amusement, and he said airily: "No worries. You were just doing your job. Sorry, what exactly is your job?" He asked curiously, and the inspector said, startled: "Checking for aliens."

Amy and Lily bit their lips to hide their smiles while Rory's mouth fell open. The continued: "Visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them."

The smile left Lily's face and she frowned at the man, as did the Doctor. Amy meanwhile interjected: "Oh, that's nice. See where you bring me? The plague." She snapped at the Doctor, while Lily looked puzzled.

The inspector reassured Amy: "Don't worry, Viscountess."

Amy beamed, pleased with her title as the inspector said firmly: "No, we're under quarantine here. No one comes in, no one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri."

He indicated the emblem on his clipboard, as the Doctor muttered: "How interesting."

"I thought the plague died out years ago?" Lily chimed in, looking confused.

"That's what I heard." She added hastily, covering her mistake.

Amy looked surprised while the Doctor nodded, but the inspector shook his head.

"Not out there, Duchess. " He said fearfully, pointing beyond the sea.

Amy suppressed a smile at Lily's title while the man continued: "No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said."

The Doctor and Lily were still frowning a little, and the Doctor murmured thoughtfully: "Did she now."

Rory reached out to take the psychic paper, reading it as the Doctor smiled at the inspector and moved on. The inspector also turned away, but as Lily and Amy began to follow the Doctor, Rory called: "Er, according to this," he nodded at the psychic paper, "I am your eunuch."

Lily looked back in surprise and somewhat guilt while Amy turned and said evasively: "Oh yeah. I'll explain later."

Lily sped up to catch up with the Doctor, and she muttered to him: "Eunuch?"

"Couldn't think of anything better." He replied lightly and Lily raised her brows.

"So you could think Viscountess, but you couldn't think up something like Duke or Lord?" She asked skeptically, and the Doctor grinned as he admitted: "Alright, guilty. But with his shirt, no-one would believe he was someone important."

Lily glanced back at the stag shirt Rory was still wearing, and she had to admit the Doctor had a point. The shirt was a vivid red, the color of blood, and in the center was a giant heart with Rory and Amy's faces printed cheesily on it.

"Okay, point taken." She admitted and the Doctor grinned.

He gestured around the city, asking: "So, what do you think?"

She grinned as she looked around at the beautiful city, but then she sighed.

"I'd enjoy the romantic view better once we figure out what this Signora Calvierri is up to." She admitted and the Doctor nodded.

"I agree." He murmured, but he became distracted as people began to whisper: "The Calvierri girls." glancing across the canal excitedly and almost reverently.

The Doctor and Lily exchanged glances before dashing over to lean at the railings, peering across to see a group of girls dressed in beautiful beige dresses and heavy veils walking out of a mansion. They each carried white parasols and walked in two perfect lines, their backs perfectly straight and their steps elegant.

Amy and Rory also appeared, leaning on the railings as well and Amy smiled excitedly at the other two while Rory continued to frown down at the psychic paper. Lily's eyes were drawn to a commotion as a man ran towards the girls, shouting something as he began to approach the girls, trying to see under their veils.

The Doctor and Lily straightened up, watching intently just as the man was shoved aside by one of the girls, landing on his back. The Doctor leaned back and Lily glanced at him. They shared a look before both of them dashed off, heading for a bridge that would take them to the other side of the canal.

"Shouldn't we tell Amy?" Lily called as they ran and the Doctor replied over his shoulder: "She was the one who said she was tired of running down corridors!"

"This isn't a corridor." Lily pointed out and the Doctor called back: "Knowing me, we'll end up in one!"

Lily nodded- he had a point. They followed the strange man as he walked away dejectedly, catching up just as he turned into an alleyway. The Doctor bounded up, asking: "Who are those girls?"

The man turned around, startled as he stared at the Doctor before he said confusedly: "I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school."

"My first day here." The Doctor replied, before he rattled off as he pointed out: "It's okay. Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion."

He paused as a passerby walked past, waiting for the man to disappear before turning back to their man.

"So why are you trying to get her out?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Lily leaned in curiously as the man replied darkly: "Something happens in there. Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognise me."

His voice broke a little and the Doctor's face became thoughtful as the man continued in a scared tone: "And the girl who pushed me away, her face, like an animal."

The Doctor wrapped an arm around the man's shoulder as he looked at Lily and said with raised brows: "I think it's time we met this Signora Calvierri."

* * *

Their new friend, Guido dashed towards the front gates of the Calvierri house, crying desperately: "You have my daughter. Isabella!"

As the guards stopped him and he continued to yell and cause a fuss, the Doctor and Lily slipped past unnoticed, heading towards the side of the house, walking carefully along the edge by the canal. As Guido continued to shout for his daughter, and shoved at the guards, the Doctor soniced the gate.

"Quickly!" Lily hissed and he muttered, pouting: "I don't see you helping."

"I'm not the one with a sonic screwdriver." She pointed out and he grinned as the lock clicked.

"Good thing you have me, then." He smiled as he opened the gate and slipped inside, helping her inside too.

"And good thing you've got me to be the brains." She teased and he rolled his eyes as he conceded petulantly: "Alright, so it was a good idea to have Guido distract the guards. I was thinking it too."

"Sure you were." Lily teased as they hurried down a stone staircase, heading into a cellar of some kind. The cellar had three doors lining the walls on the opposite side, and the Doctor spun around, examining them before he spotted an ornate mirror on the wall opposite him.

"Hello, handsome." He grinned at himself as he adjusted his bowtie. Lily snorted, rolling her eyes at him and he grinned at her through the mirror.

"Don't you agree?" He asked teasingly and she joked: "Wearing that bowtie? Not on your life."

"Bowties are cool." He retorted.

He winked at her through the mirror as he added: "And you love me, really."

"Never said I didn't." Lily replied lightly, trying to hide her hammering heart. She was surprised when the Doctor paused, his eyes unfocusing for a moment as he stared down at her.

"Doctor?" She asked, but suddenly her blood went cold as voices asked from behind them: "Who are you?"

The Doctor's eyes snapped back into focus, and he and Lily whipped around to face the group of about five girls standing there in their nightgowns, staring at them. Their faces were completely blank, although their eyes were dark as they stared vacantly at the pair. But what had freaked Lily out was that they hadn't been in the mirror's reflection.

The Doctor had pulled Lily to his side, pushing her slightly behind him as he glanced between the mirror and the girls, checking that they really didn't appear in the mirror's reflection.

He beamed as he cried delightedly: "How are you doing that? I am loving it. You're like Houdini, only five slightly scary girls, and he was shorter. Will be shorter. I'm rambling." He added at the end as he glanced down and saw Lily's face.

The girls asked in unison once more, chilling Lily to the core: "I'll ask you again, signor, signora. Who are you?"

The Doctor smiled confidently and said smugly as he reached into his jacket: "Why don't you check this out?"

He flashed a paper at the girls, who looked at it blankly. Seeing their confused faces, he quickly flipped it around to look at it and Lily saw a picture of an old man on what looked like an old ID card. The Doctor muttered, annoyed: "Library card."

He snapped the ID shut, and Lily took it as he muttered: "Of course, it's with…"

He mimed a large, pointed nose.

"He's... I need a spare." He sighed, rolling his eyes a little.

"John Smith?" Lily asked as she read the card incredulously.

"Yeah, it's a common human cover I use." He replied absently.

The Doctor returned his attention to the girls, examining them as he thought aloud: "Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen."

He turned to the empty mirror. He grinned.

"Ha. Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking?" He asked as he turned back to the girls gleefully.

He paused, and wondered: "But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless-"

The girls interrupted as they said together: "Leave now, signor, or we shall call for the Steward," they smiled slyly, "if you are lucky."

"Ooo." The Doctor said as he shivered, whether from delight or fear, Lily couldn't tell. But she knew the chill that ran down her spine was from fear, especially as the girls opened their mouths to reveal large pointed teeth that looked almost like needles. They hissed as they started to advance on the pair.

"Doctor." Lily warned as they backed away quickly, heading for the stairs.

"Tell me the whole plan." The Doctor ordered the girls. The girls just continued to advance on them and Lily sent him a look of complete disbelief.

"One day that will work." He muttered. "Listen," he spoke in his regular tone, addressing the girls as he continued, "I would love to stay here. This whole thing. I'm thrilled. Oh, this is Christmas."

Lily had had enough and tugged on the Doctor sharply, dragging him up the stairs as they ran away from the hissing girls below.

* * *

It was dark out by the time the pair had raced back to where they'd last left Amy and Rory, and as they ran up Amy shouted: "Doctor!"

She was also running towards them, from the opposite direction, Rory far behind her, and as they met in the center, the Doctor said excitedly: "I just met some vampires."

"We just saw a vampire." Amy said at the same time, and the pair continued to talk over each other excitedly, trying to get their own word in.

"And creepy girls and everything." The Doctor finished enthusiastically, and Amy replied: "Vampires."

They began to jump excitedly as they clutched each other, and Lily rolled her eyes as Rory finally caught up, blurting out as he screeched to a stop beside the jumping pair: "We think we just saw a vampire."

The Doctor glanced at him as he replied, calming himself down slightly: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Amy was just telling me."

"Yeah, yeah. The Doctor actually went to their house." Amy added, still somewhat breathless with excitement as she hugged the Doctor from the side.

Lily winced as Rory looked a little hurt, muttering awkwardly: "Oh. Right. Well-"

"Okay." The Doctor interrupted as he pushed off Amy. He tapped Rory's face as he continued: "So, first we need to get back in there somehow."

"What?" Rory asked in shock while Amy asked excitedly: "How do we do that?"

"Back in where?" Rory asked, but the Doctor ignored him again as he said to Amy: "Come and meet our new friend."

He grabbed Lily's hand, pulling her along as he led the way. The brunette sent Rory an apologetic look over her shoulder while Amy pouted but dashed off after them quickly. Rory was left behind, staring numbly in shock before he hastily chased after them.

* * *

Guido pulled out a map of Venice, placing it on the kitchen table as he explained: "As you saw, there's no clear way in. The House of Calvierri is like a fortress. But there's a tunnel underneath it," he showed them the path with his finger as he explained, "with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor."

"You need someone on the inside." Amy said with a smirk, but the Doctor replied immediately without even looking up: "No."

Lily sighed as Amy frowned, glaring at him as she snapped: "You don't even know what I was going to say."

"Er," the Doctor looked at her as he listed off, "that we pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside, and tonight you come down and open the trapdoor to let us in."

Rory's mouth fell open while Lily snorted at Amy's crestfallen expression.

"Oh." The redhead muttered. "So you do know what I was going to say."

The Doctor just turned back to the map as Rory demanded: "Are you insane?"

Amy argued, looking at the Doctor pointedly: "We don't have another option."

"No." He retorted and Rory nodded, saying: "He said no, Amy. Listen to him."

"Why're you so against it?" Amy asked the Doctor, pouting, and he looked at her as he rattled off again: "Because now Rory's going to protest that it's dangerous and you can't go in alone, Lily will volunteer to join you, and then I'll be left with both of you arguing that you should go in. No."

He turned back to the map as Amy blinked in surprise. She glanced over to see Rory stunned and Lily's mouth hanging open. She snapped it shut as Guido interrupted: "There is another option."

He pointed to the barrels that were stacked by the wall right behind Rory, and they all turned to look. Guido explained: "I work at the Arsenale. We build the warships for the navy."

The Doctor strode over, sniffing intently, before he said flatly: "Gunpowder."

Guido smiled, nodding. Rory's eyes widened in horror and he began to shift away from the barrels uneasily as the Doctor commented: "Most people just nick stationery from where they work."

He walked back over as he said firmly: "Look, I have a thing about guns and huge quantities of explosive."

Guido smacked his hands on the table as he asked impatiently: "What do you suggest, then? We wait until they turn her into an animal?"

He turned around to face the fireplace, kindling it to make it warmer and vent some of his frustration. The Doctor pursed his lips while Amy began to swing her legs as she said casually: "I'll be there three, four hours, tops."

Rory rolled his eyes, lifting his gaze to the ceiling as though asking the heavens for patience. The Doctor's face was contemplative as he looked at Amy, and then he smacked himself as he argued: "No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no."

Rory was also shaking his head firmly, but no-one was paying attention to him as the Doctor grumbled: "It can't keep happening like this. This is how they go."

He sat down, rubbing his face with his hand and Lily raised a brow at him.

He saw it and he sighed, admitting: "But I have to know. Lily stays here. Amy, we go together," he thought out a plan aloud, "say you're my daughter. "

Rory snapped: "What? Why not Lily?"

Lily made a face and Rory turned to Amy, ordering: "Don't listen to him."

Amy ignored him as she scoffed at the Doctor: "Your daughter? You look about nine."

The Doctor conceded, suggesting: "Brother, then."

"Too weird." Amy rejected, and then she said jokingly: "Fiancé."

She realized a beat too late that this was probably the worst timing to make a joke. The Doctor's eye twitched in irritation, Lily's face fell into a frown, and Rory snapped: "I'm not having him run around telling people he's your fiancé."

Amy glanced at Rory, and she murmured contritely: "No. No, you're right."

"Thank you." Rory muttered, but Amy added: "I mean, they've already seen the Doctor. You should do it." She said, her eyes bright and excited as she stepped up to Rory, who looked dumbfounded.

"Me?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yeah." Amy replied, and Rory looked a little bit happier.

But Lily smacked her head into her heads as Amy added: "You can be my brother."

She patted Rory's head while the Doctor chuckled a little under his breath, although he stopped immediately when Lily glared at him.

"Why is him being your brother weird, but with me, it's okay?" Rory asked Amy angrily.

Guido said in confusion: "Actually, I thought you two were siblings, and you," he pointed at the Doctor, "were her fiancé."

He pointed at Lily.

Amy glanced over in surprise, Rory looked offended, and Lily was looking like she wanted to shoot something. Possibly herself.

"Yeah, that's not helping." The Doctor pointed out.

Guido lowered his finger sheepishly as Rory snapped: "This whole thing is mental. They're vampires, for God's sake." He cried, as though asking why no-one else was seeing what was wrong with the picture.

"We hope." The Doctor replied flatly.

Rory's face paled as Lily glanced over thoughtfully. Amy asked slowly: "So if they're not vampires…?"

"Makes you wonder what could be so bad it doesn't actually mind us thinking it's a vampire." The Doctor replied in a dark voice.


	17. 6-2 Not Vampires

Amy and Rory watched tiredly as the Doctor and Lily argued. He was adamant she stay behind, but she refused to let Amy go into the Calvierri house alone. The actually engaged couple watched, Rory annoyed and Amy fed up, as the Doctor shouted for the umpteenth time: "Lily, no!"

"Why is it alright for Amy to go, and not me? I'm older!" Lily argued, again.

The Doctor repeated through grit teeth: "We've been over this- they saw you as well, so it's better for you to stay out of there, same as me."

"I'm telling you, they won't likely remember me. Their attention was focused on you the whole time, and you stood mostly in front of me. They wouldn't have seen me completely." She argued again.

As the Doctor opened his mouth once more, Amy interrupted, finally having had enough.

"Aright, that's it." She snapped.

The Doctor glared at her but Amy retorted: "We're wasting time. Guido has two dresses he can lend us, so Lily's going in with me. That way, Rory has less to complain about and we can get a move on before the sun comes up."

The Doctor frowned in annoyance as Lily nodded. As the girls moved off to get changed he sighed and muttered: "See, I knew it would come to this. Why is it that it always turns out like this?"

"Because you're a dangerous idiot." Rory said flatly. The Doctor turned to glare at the man, but Rory simply turned away, fuming silently. The Doctor groaned as he buried his head in his hands. So now he had to deal with Rory's petty jealousy and anger as well.

He rubbed his hands over his face tiredly. Between Lily's stubbornness, and now her anger with him, Amy's hotheaded impulsiveness, and Rory's petulant attitude, the Doctor was beginning to regret having suggested the Venice trip. If it wasn't for the fact that there was a job to be done, he'd almost rather he'd run into Casanova.

* * *

Lily was fighting the urge to roll her eyes as she stood beside Amy and Rory before Signora Calvierri in her throne room. Rory was dressed in Guido's clothes, pretending to be their brother as they applied to Signora Calvierri's school. But his acting was terrible.

She fidgeted as Rory droned monotonously: "So, basically, our parents are dead from getting the plague. I'm a gondola… driver," he hesitated over the title and Amy glanced at him nervously, "so money's a bit tight, so having my… sisters," he bit the word out and Lily had to fight the urge to hit him, "go to your school for special people would be brilliant. Cheers."

He finished lamely and it was all Lily could do to not drop her head into her hands and groan. The young man standing a little to the side of Signora Calvierri cocked his head as he stared curiously at Amy.

"Have we met?" He asked, and Amy looked startled.

She opened her mouth but Rory misunderstood and replied, thinking the man meant him: "I've just got one of those faces."

The young man snarled as he stepped forward: "I wasn't talking to you."

He began to circle them, focusing on Amy intently. Rory added hastily, indicating Amy: "She's got the same face, which," he added in what he must've thought was a stroke of brilliance, "is because she's my sister."

Lily sighed internally as Signora Calvierri called to her Steward irritably: "Carlo, explain yourself. Why have you brought me this imbecile?"

She indicated Rory, who shut his mouth fearfully, while Carlo replied: "Signora, they have references from His Majesty the King of Sweden."

"What?" Signora Calvierri asked in surprise. She raised her hand, holding it out expectantly as she ordered: "Let me see."

The steward gestured at Rory to proceed, and he stepped forward to hand the psychic paper over while the strange young man continued to circle the girls intently. His eyes had moved to examine Lily, and it was all she could do to stop herself from punching him as he looked her over like she was some fresh meat for him to salivate over.

She glanced over as Signora Calvierri murmured, looking up from the psychic paper: "Well, now I see what got my Steward so excited."

She handed the paper back to Rory as she called: "What say you, Francesco? Do you like them?"

"Oh, I do, Mother." The young man circling the girls murmured softly. "I do."

Rory glanced at him timidly as Amy's eyes flitted about nervously and Lily gripped the sides of her skirt.

"Then we would be delighted to accept them." Signora Calvierri said lightly.

"Say goodbye to your sisters." She told Rory, and the Steward began to push Rory out the door as he stuttered, unwilling to leave as he stared at Amy desperately.

He also kept glancing at Lily worriedly, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile as Amy called after him: "Tell Uncle… Doctor I'll see you both really soon, okay?"

He nodded, but still seemed unable to make himself leave. The Steward shoved him through the door as Amy smiled and called: "I'll be fine."

Rory's eyes widened at something behind the girls, and Lily had a sinking feeling she knew what he'd seen as he shouted desperately: "Amy! Lily!"

But the door slammed behind him, and by the time Lily turned back to the man, Francesco, he was looking perfectly normal. But Rory's face had clearly been terrified as he looked back at the man, so Lily didn't doubt that this man probably had the same long, pointed teeth as the vampire girls.

She sighed. _What did I get myself into this time?_

* * *

The steward led the girls into a dormitory and Lily pulled Amy closer, protective as the creepy girls from before leered over at the pair as they walked further in. As they walked into an ornate bedroom, the steward told them sternly: "There are clothes on the bed. Get changed and wait here."

Lily glanced at the beautifully carved bedframes while Amy glanced at the gold-plated domed ceiling, muttering: "Blimey. This is private education, then?"

The steward left, almost all the other girls following him out, but not before sending cold looks at the two. Lily glanced over at the only remaining girl, a dark-skinned beauty sitting numbly on her bed. Amy also spotted the girl, and called: "Hey. Hello, I'm Amy, and this is Lily."

She paused but when there was no response, she added: "What's your name?"

"Isabella." The girl replied, stuttering over the name a little, as though unsure. Lily's heart clenched- so this was Guido's daughter.

The girl looked dazed, and Lily frowned but Amy quickly sat beside the girl, whispering urgently: "Listen, we're going to get you out of here, but I need you to tell me what's going on. What is this place? What are they doing?"

Isabella's breathing became heavy as she replied, sounding terrified: "They er, they come at night. They gather around my bed, and they, they take me to a room with this, this green light and a chair with, with straps, as if for a surgeon."

"What happens in there?" Amy asked in concern and Isabella looked at the pair as Lily also leaned down. She shook a little and she whispered: "I wake up here."

She glanced at her bed, and then her eyes lifted to stare blankly into space as she murmured: "And the sunlight burns my skin like candle wax."

A bell tolled, signaling the time and Amy and Lily exchanged glances. Lily didn't say anything as the two got up again, but her heart was heavy as she and Amy moved to get dressed. From what Isabella said, there was every possibility that it was too late to save poor Guido's daughter.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

Guido rowed the gondola down the canal, taking the Doctor and Rory to the entrance to the tunnel. The Doctor glanced at Rory, who was sitting tensely with his hands gripping the gondola seat. He sighed and reassured the other man quietly: "She'll be fine."

"You can promise me that, can you?" Rory snapped and the Doctor didn't respond.

After a few more minutes, Guido rowed them into a dark side canal and murmured: "We're here."

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily and Amy snuck down the stairs, heading for the courtyard where the trapdoor would be. As they crept through the halls quietly, Amy suddenly piped up: "He loves you too, you know."

Lily glanced at Amy, startled, and whispered: "What?"

"The Doctor. He loves you too." Amy explained and Lily asked in disbelief: "Is this really the time to be trying to comfort me right now? Besides, can you actually say that after all the flirting you've been doing with him."

Amy shrugged, as she muttered apologetically: "Sorry, it's just so easy. He's pretty easy on the eyes."

Lily smacked the redhead, annoyed for various reasons. As Amy rubbed her head, Lily scolded: "You're getting married!"

"Doesn't mean I can't use my eyes." Amy retorted.

Lily snorted, but Amy added seriously: "And I've been using them. And trust me when I say this, anyone with eyes can see he loves you."

"Can we please not do this right now?" Lily asked, sounding disturbed. Amy shut up as they approached the trap door, and Lily was so absorbed by the shock of Amy's words that she missed the skeletal hand sticking out of a nearby crate as the girls hurried into the courtyard and heaved open the lock on the trapdoor.

They backed away from the trapdoor, heading back for the dorms quickly, but the girls yelped as their path was cut off by the steward. Amy shrieked as the creepy girls appeared once more, grabbing the pair and sending their lantern crashing to the floor.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor had hopped off the gondola, and unlocked the gated using his sonic, and pushed it open. As his flaming torch lit up the stairways that would lead them into the house, the Doctor murmured to Rory as the other man joined him: "Right. Okay, I'll go first. If anything happens to me, go back-"

"What happened," Rory interrupted and the Doctor glanced back at him confused, "between you and Amy? You said she kissed you."

The Doctor looked at him incredulously and he snapped, annoyed: "Now? You want to do this now?"

"I have a right to know." Rory pointed out as they made their way down the tunnel. "I'm getting married in four hundred and thirty years."

The Doctor scowled as he muttered: "She was frightened. _I_ was frightened. But we survived, you know, and the relief of it, and so she kissed me."

He finished lamely, and Rory demanded: "And you kissed her back."

"No. I kissed her mouth." The Doctor retorted irritably.

"Funny." Rory snapped, annoyed and the Doctor sighed as he stopped walking.

He turned to the other man saying seriously: "Rory. Rory, she kissed me because I was there. It would have been you. It should have been you." He added as he began to walk again.

Rory pointed out just as irritably: "Yeah, it _should_ have been me."

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he countered: "Exactly. That's why I brought you here."

There was a short pause, and Rory suddenly said flatly: "You wish it had been her, don't you?"

The Doctor was so startled he glanced back, asking confusedly: "What?"

"Lily." Rory said and the Doctor stopped walking again.

"You wish it had been Lily that had kissed you, don't you?" Rory went on.

"No." The Doctor muttered as he began to tensely walk again.

Rory snorted derisively as he countered: "Come off it. Anyone can see you lo-"

"Rory." The Doctor snapped, turning back to the other man. Rory stopped, surprised not at the anger on the Doctor's face but the deep pain that lay beneath that anger.

"It's not that simple, alright?" The Doctor snapped and Rory blinked. Suddenly, a strong wind blew through the tunnel, blowing out their torch.

"Can we go and see the vampires now, please?" The Doctor whispered in agitation.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Amy and Lily struggled as they were dragged into a cellar, and the steward growled: "Control yourself, child."

Amy snapped angrily: "Take your hands off me!"

"Let her go!" Lily demanded as she also writhed against the tight hold the girls had on her. Her heart thundered as she and Amy were dragged into a room illuminated by a green light.

Lily struggled as they were dragged before Signora Calvierri, who said scathingly: "Psychic paper. Did you really think that would work on me?"

Lily's heart raced while Amy's eyes widened in terror.

 _'Uh oh.'_ The girls thought in unison as they glanced about the room in alarm.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor heaved open the trapdoor with a groan before climbing out, stepping on Rory's head to heave himself up as he struggled to climb out. He managed to get out and quickly turned to help Rory out, before turning around to inspect the courtyard.

"Lily. Where's Lily? Amy?" He called as he looked around, trying to see in the dark and Rory muttered: "I can't see a thing. Just as well I brought this, then."

He produced a tiny penlight, switching it on. The Doctor glanced at it and rolled his eyes as he pulled out a long light stick from inside his jacket pocket, explaining shortly: "Ultraviolet. Portable sunlight."

He turned to look around again when Rory said: "Yours is bigger than mine."

The Doctor glanced at him as he muttered: "Let's not go there."

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Signora Calvierri was circling them as she demanded: "Where are you from? Did you fall through the Chasm?"

Lily frowned, while Francesco complained: "Mother this is pointless. Let's just start the process and-"

"Hold your tongue, Francesco." Signora Calvierri snapped. "I need to know what these girls are doing in a world of savages with psychic paper."

Lily glanced back in alarm as some of the girls brought in two chairs with straps on them, exactly as Isabella had described. Signora Calvierri asked again: "Who are you with? You see, I scarcely believe your idiot brother sent you. What are you doing in my school?" She asked menacingly.

Amy and Lily watched with wide eyes as a hook was set up above the chairs and a drip bag was hung from it. Amy blurted out in a shaky voice: "Okay, I'll tell you."

She paused and then said: "I'm from Ofsted."

Lily's breathing was becoming heavier as Signora Calvierri laughed, before she ordered: "Put her in the chair."

As the steward dragged Amy into the first chair, the girl shrieked: "No! Take your hands off me!"

"Let her go! Amy!" Lily cried as she struggled, but Signora Calvierri just snapped: "And that one."

Lily struggled violently as the girls dragged her over to the chair, strapping her in and setting up the blood bags around her and Amy. Signora Calvierri mocked: "Oh, make sport of me, will you? Tease me as if I were your dog?"

Amy shrieked as Francesco grabbed her head, pulling to the side as he cleared her hair away from her neck.

"Let her go!" Lily shouted, desperately trying to break free. Signora Calvierri snarled: "Well, this dog has a bite, girl."

Signora Calvierri hissed, revealing her teeth and Lily yelled in alarm: "Amy!"

As Signora Calvierri leaned down, Amy and Lily screamed: "Doctor!"

And Signora Calvierri bit Amy's neck.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor noticed the odd chest in the corner, and he moved to examine it as Rory continued to whine: "If we cancel now, we lose the deposit on the village hall. The salsa band."

The Doctor opened the chest to reveal a desiccated corpse and Rory gasped: "Oh."

He froze and as the Doctor leaned down to examine the shriveled corpse, Rory whispered fearfully: "What happened to them?"

"They've had all the moisture taken out of them." The Doctor murmured, and Rory paled.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily shouted as she struggled against her bindings as Signora Calvierri finally pulled away in satisfaction from Amy's neck, a bite mark clear on the girl's pale neck. Lily thrashed violently as Amy's head rolled, her eyes a little dazed.

Francesco moaned: "Mother, where you drink from her, may we share? I'm so thirsty."

He purred and Rosanna cooed: "Of course, darling."

"Leave Amy alone! Bite me, just leave Amy alone!" Lily shrieked, trying desperately to free herself as she stared at the dazed redhead in alarm.

"Well, well, a volunteer." Signora Calvierri sneered as Francesco slowly turned to her.

"What do you think, Francesco. Do you like her?" Signora Calvierri purred and Lily froze, fear and panic gripping her as the male vampire came over, leaning over her.

"I do, mother. I do." He grinned, and Lily screamed as his teeth punctured her neck: "Doctor!"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor frowned, pausing over the corpse. For some reason, his gut twisted and his hearts lurched. Something was wrong, something was happening to Lily. Rory was muttering in a shaky voice: "That's what vampires do, right? They drink your blood and replace it with their own."

The Doctor snapped, trying to focus on both Rory and his gut feeling telling him to hurry: "Yeah, except these people haven't just had their blood taken, but all the water in their entire bodies."

He peered at the corpse again with a frown as Rory asked confusedly: "Why did they die? Why aren't they like the girls in the school?"

The Doctor lifted his head and replied darkly: "Maybe not everyone survives the process."

Rory froze for a moment, and then he turned away. He paced a little before throwing his hands in the air in frustration as he whipped around accused: "You know what's dangerous about you?"

The Doctor glanced over and Rory snarled: "It's not that you make people take risks, it's that you make them want to impress you."

That struck too close to the Doctor's heart and he slowly sat back, staring at Rory wordlessly as the man continued furiously: "You make it so they don't want to let you down."

Rory paused, struggling to keep his voice down before he spat harshly: "You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you're around."

The Doctor couldn't reply to that, and he lowered his head, his jaw clenching, when suddenly voices asked in unison: "Who are you?"

He whipped around, looking around wildly to see six girls appearing from all around the courtyard, each stepping out from a different entrance. The Doctor dashed over to Rory as the man stood in shock, staring at all the girls in fear as they snarled, revealing their sharp teeth.

"We should run." The Doctor urged and as the girls stepped forward, he yelled: "Run!"

The pair ran out, dashing through the first corridor they could as the girls chased after them, snarling and hissing,

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily's head lolled as Francesco pulled back with a satisfied moan. Amy's head rolled over, her eyes slowly coming back into focus and she stared at her pale friend, the bite marks clear on her neck as well and her eyes sliding out of focus.

Amy turned her head back as Signora Calvierri explained coldly: "This is how it works. First, we drink you until you're dry. Then we fill you with our blood." Amy's eyes finally focused on the older woman's face as she leered down at the girl. "It rages through you like a fire, changing you, until one morning you awake and your humanity is a dream… now faded."

"Or you die." Francesco chimed in as he caressed Lily's hair. "That can happen."

"And if I- we- survive?" Amy mumbled.

"Then there are ten thousand husbands waiting for you in the water." Signora Calvierri replied happily. She smiled down at Amy and Lily's eyes were slowly coming back into focus as Amy glared.

"Yeah, sorry," The redhead muttered, "I'm kind of engaged."

And with that, she kicked out angrily at Signora Calvierri, hitting something underneath the woman's overskirt. There was the sound of a machine cracking and buzzing and Lily's eyes focused as Francesco grabbed Amy's neck with a snarl.

But they were distracted as Signora Calvierri briefly transformed into a large bony, lobster-like alien with a snake-like head with those large, sharp teeth. She touched the device again and shifted back into the human woman and Lily and Amy stared with wide eyes while Francesco stared worriedly.

They were distracted once more as they heard the Doctor's voice cry from somewhere above: "Oh! Rory, come on."

Exchanging glances, Signora Calvierri and Francesco dashed out, the steward running after them and leaving the two girls alone in the room, stunned by what they had seen. The girls then struggled against their bonds violently, trying to break free, when Amy shrieked as suddenly something appeared by her arm.

"Amy!" Lily shrieked, glancing over, but she sighed in relief as she saw it was Isabella, who was working quickly to release the redhead's bonds.

As she quickly pulled off the first binding, Amy cried in shock: "She bit me."

"Quickly!" Isabella urged as she ripped off the second binding. The two girls rushed over to Lily, each working on one of her bindings as the brunette girl tried to control her shaking.

* * *

3rd Person P.O.V.

The Doctor was running through the corridors when he screeched to a stop as Signora Calvierri stepped out to block his path, flanked by her son and the steward. Glancing around, he said lightly: "Cab for Lily Tyler and Amy Pond?"

"Doctor." Rory warned as the hissing girls appeared behind them pair. Signora Calvierri scoffed: "This rescue plan. Not exactly watertight, is it?"

As the girls got a little too close for comfort, the Doctor lunged at them, brandishing his UV light as he cried: "Ah ha!"

The girls cowered, flinching away from the burning light. At that moment, Isabella, Lily and Amy ran in from the side, Amy crying in relief: "Rory!"

"Amy." Rory breathed as Lily called: "Doctor!"

"Lily!" The Doctor whipped around in relief to see her standing safe for now.

"Quickly, through here." Isabella urged, running down a side passage, and the group quickly followed as Signora Calvierri ordered sharply: "Seal the house."

As they ran down the tunnel, Amy called back to the Doctor: "They're not vampires."

"What?" He asked as he soniced the door behind them, locking it, and Amy elaborated: "I saw them. I saw her. They're not vampires, they're aliens."

"Big, sea-creature-like aliens!" Lily added and the Doctor chuckled.

Amy began to laugh as well while Lily giggled and the Doctor murmured: "Classic."

Rory asked incredulously as he stared at them: "That's good news? What is wrong with you people?"

The Doctor urged him into a run as the door behind him bashed open: "Come on, Rory. Move."

The group dashed down the tunnel, and as the hissing girls, led by Francesco, caught up to them, the Doctor turned, brandishing the UV at them again. As they flinched back, the Doctor urged his friends: "Keep moving. Come on, guys."

Isabella quickly dragged open the last door and Amy dashed out with Lily right behind her. The sun was just coming up and the church bells were ringing, indicating the beginning of a new day. As Rory followed Lily out, Isabella urged: "Quickly, quickly. Get out. Quick. Quick."

Lily spotted Guido on his gondola just down the steps by the canal and almost cried in relief. The man was looking up hopefully as he spotted his daughter, glad to see her safe at last. But as the Doctor followed Rory and Isabella made to follow, she recoiled with a yell of pain.

The whole group stopped, turning back in alarm as Guido's face fell and his relief turned to horror as Isabella recoiled back into the door, only to be grabbed by the hissing girls inside. The Doctor glanced at the sun and realized. He rushed forward, urging Isabella: "Come on. Run."

"I can't!" Isabella cried just as she was pulled in. The Doctor reached the door just as it slammed shut, and he began to bang on it desperately as Lily ran up after him. But she shrieked as the Doctor yelled in pain, jerking as though he was being electrocuted.

"Doctor!" She screamed as he collapsed onto the stairs, and she knelt down beside him as Rory and Amy ran up as well.

She touched him, checking him as Rory leaned over and Amy asked shakily: "Is he dead?"

She sounded close to tears, but she breathed in relief as Rory said in relief: "No, he's breathing."

Lily caressed the Doctor's head as he lay unconscious, and Amy sat down at his feet, her legs giving out. She glanced back at Guido to see the poor man turning away dejectedly, his hopes dashed right before his eyes as his daughter was claimed by monsters.


	18. 6-3 Sinking Venice

The Doctor walked determinedly towards the Calvierri house, his face set defiantly. Lily had tried to come with him, but he'd been firm in his decision. He needed to see this done personally, and he needed to see it done alone. He entered the empty throne room without trouble and sat down in Signora Calvierri's throne, drumming his fingers.

He didn't have to wait long before the woman walked in and he whistled lowly, commenting: "Long way from Saturnyne, aren't you, Sister of the Water?"

He looked up at her and Signora Calvierri looked surprised before she realized: "No, let me guess. The owner of the psychic paper."

She smiled, beginning to pace across the far side of the room as the Doctor shrugged nonchalantly.

"Then I take it you're a refugee, like me?" She asked.

The Doctor raised his brows before he settled back in the throne and offered: "I'll make you a deal. An answer for an answer."

She nodded once, smirking as she accepted his offer.

"You're using a perception filter." The Doctor commented. "It doesn't change your features, but manipulates the brainwaves of the person looking at you. But seeing one of you for the first time in, say… a mirror, the brain doesn't know what to fill the gap with, so leaves it blank," he chuckled once, "hence no reflection."

"Your question?" She asked with raised brows and the Doctor asked with a smirk: "Why can we see your big teeth?"

Signora Calvierri laughed before she explained: "Self preservation over rides the mirage. The subconscious perceives the threat and tries to alert the conscious brain."

"Where's Isabella?" The Doctor asked abruptly but Signora Calvierri smiled as she pointed out: "My turn."

The Doctor smiled lightly, conceding and she asked curiously: "Where are you from?"

"Gallifrey." The Doctor replied and Calvierri's eyes widened and she stopped pacing.

"You should be in a museum." She said in awe.

The Doctor snorted, and she added contemplatively: "Or in a mausoleum."

"Why are you here?" The Doctor asked, and Calvierri smiled, lowering her head a little before she answered: "We ran from the Silence. Why are you here?"

"Wedding present. The Silence?" The Doctor asked curiously, his brow raised, and Calvierri explained, no longer smiling: "There were cracks. Some were tiny."

She averted her gaze as she continued softly: "Some were as big as the sky. Through some we saw worlds and people, and through others," her voice became low and dark, "we saw Silence and the end of all things. We fled to an ocean like ours, and the crack snapped shut behind us. Saturnyne was lost."

The Doctor paused, examining the woman before he asked: "So Earth is to become Saturnyne Mark Two?"

She lifted her eyes to him as she said: "And you can help me. We can build a new society here, as others have."

She smiled, bordering on pleading as she offered: ""What do you say?"

The Doctor snorted a little, before he stood up and walked over to the woman. He peered down at her and she waited expectantly, but he asked quietly: "Where's Isabella?"

The Doctor began to pace Calvierri, who asked confused: "Isabella?"

"The girl who saved my friends." The Doctor clarified and Calvierri said dismissively: "Oh, deserters must be executed. Any general will tell you that. I need an answer, Doctor."

She returned to her offer, refusing to be distracted. She leaned up towards him as she repeated her offer: "A partnership."

As he stared down at her she added suggestively: "Any which way you choose."

The Doctor raised his brows as he replied: "Sorry, I already have someone."

Calvierri raised her brows in turn as she scoffed: "The human girl? What kind of partnership is that? They have so many others, so busy populating their world and the universe. You and I know what it's like to be alone."

She smiled coyly.

The Doctor smirked grimly as he replied: "Hm, I still don't think that's such a good idea, do you? I'm a Time Lord. You're a big fish."

He paused and added, a little mockingly: "Think of the children."

The woman raised her brows at him at that, and she turned away at last.

"Carlo?" She called, before saying coldly to the Doctor: "You're right. We're nothing alike."

She leered into his face as she hissed: "I will bend the heavens to save my race, while you philosophise."

She mocked but the Doctor said darkly as Carlo entered: "This ends today."

He jerked her to face him so that he could stare at her as he warned: "I will tear down the House of Calvierri, stone by stone."

As the steward reached to grab him, the Doctor smacked his hands away, saying without taking his eyes off Calvierri: "Take your hands off me, Carlo."

He moved his eyes to give the man a cold stare before he walked out of his own accord. The Doctor called back as he stopped at the doors, turning to glare at Calvierri as he spat: "And you know why? You didn't know Isabella's name."

He leveled a cold, furious glare at the woman as he repeated softly: "You didn't know Isabella's name."

With that, the Doctor left the Calvierri house, striding down the streets of Venice, his face set with grim determination.

* * *

Lily sat patiently as the Doctor soniced Amy's neck first, healing it. She'd insisted, pointing out she was older, and the Doctor just did as she suggested. Lily watched him worriedly, not liking the grim expression in his eyes.

"You're fine. Open wide." He muttered as he finished checking Amy.

Amy opened her mouth and the Doctor popped a humbug in her mouth. He then moved to check Lily's neck and she commented: "First time you've actually acted like a real Doctor."

"Even if it's to treat me like a child." Amy muttered but the Doctor didn't show any response.

Lily frowned in worry, but he silently soniced her neck before he muttered: "Alright, done."

He pulled out a chocolate sweetie as Lily opened her mouth, and he popped it inside. He patted her head a little before he began to pace and she and Amy watched him worriedly from their seats as he growled: "Argh. I need to think. Come on, brain. Think, think, think."

He sat down at the head of the Guido's kitchen table, muttering irritably: "Think."

Amy tried to be helpful as she commented around the humbug: "If they're fish people, it explains why they hate the sun."

The Doctor lifted a hand to her mouth, blocking it as he muttered: "Stop talking. Brain thinking. Hush."

"It's the school thing I don't understand." Rory piped up from his seat opposite Amy.

The Doctor lifted his other hand to block Rory's mouth, saying: "Stop talking. Brain thinking. Hush."

"I say we take the fight to them." Guido growled from beside Rory.

"Ah, ah, ah." The Doctor interrupted and Guido asked confusedly: "What?"

"Ah." The Doctor snapped, looking at Guido sternly. He then looked at Rory pointedly and Rory got the hint and raised his hand to block Guido's mouth.

Lily sighed at the ridiculous scene before her but the Doctor muttered as he thought aloud: "Her planet dies, so they flee through a crack in space and time and end up here. Then she closes off the city and, one by one, starts changing the people into creatures like her to start a new gene pool. Got it. But then what?" He wondered.

He continued as the others frowned silently: "They come from the sea. They can't survive for ever on land, so what's she going to do?"

He frowned deeply, thinking and Lily murmured as something hit her: "Change the environment, make the city habitable."

The Doctor paused, and Amy slowly lifted her hand to block Lily's when the Doctor murmured: "Oh. Yes."

Amy blinked and lowered her hand as the Doctor focused on Lily and the two locked eyes, each thinking it through as he murmured: "She's going to do something to the environment to make the city habitable. She said: 'I shall bend the heavens to save my race'. Bend the heavens…"

Lily frowned in thought as the Doctor switched his grip on Amy and Rory, placing his hands on their heads to make them bob their heads, as though bending to the heavens. He murmured: "Bend the heavens."

"Oh my God." Lily breathed as the Doctor realized at the same time: "She's going to sink Venice."

He lowered his hands and Rory did the same numbly, while Guido repeated incredulously: "She-She's going to sink Venice?"

"And repopulate it with the girls she's transformed." The Doctor murmured in realization.

"You can't repopulate somewhere with just women." Rory pointed out.

"You need… blokes." He muttered uncomfortably, and Lily had to smile a little at his innocent awkwardness.

"She's got blokes." Amy suddenly remembered, and Lily glanced at her in first surprise and then realization.

"Where?" The Doctor demanded as he looked at the girls, and Lily nodded at Amy to continue. Her recollection of the events were slightly more hazy given she'd been out of it for most of Calvierri's speech.

"In the canal." Amy explained. "She said to me: 'there are ten thousand husbands waiting in the water'."

The Doctor murmured as the final piece of the puzzle clicked into place: "Only the male offspring survived the journey here. She's got ten thousand children swimming around the canals, waiting for Mum to make them some compatible girlfriends."

Lily's face scrunched and the Doctor shared her disgust as he shuddered: "Urgh."

Amy and Rory shared the same disgusted looks as the Doctor continued: "I mean, I've been around a bit, but really that's, that's… eugh."

He wrinkled his nose and Lily nodded. Suddenly, there was a loud thump from above their heads. As they stared at it, the Doctor said calmly: "The people upstairs are very noisy."

"There aren't any people upstairs." Guido said shakily.

"Do you know, I knew you were going to say that." The Doctor replied. "Did anyone else know he was going to say that?"

"Why is it you're never wrong about this kind of thing?" Lily sighed and he shrugged as he replied: "Ask the next enemy we end up facing."

As there were more creaks above them, Rory asked in a low voice: "Is it the vampires?"

"Like I said, they're not vampires." The Doctor replied in his normal voice. He held up his UV light stick as they all turned to look at him.

"Fish from space." He reminded them.

"Because that's so much better." Lily scoffed, but at that moment, the window smashed. Amy shrieked in alarm while the Doctor held up the UV light as they all looked around for their attackers. They all paused to stare at the windows directly behind Amy and Lily, where all the creepy girls from before were looming.

Rory asked slowly as they stared at the girls: "Aren't we on the second floor?"

The snarling girls smashed the window and Lily quickly pulled Amy out of the way as the redhead yelped while glass flew around them. The Doctor dashed over, waving his UV light at the girls and causing them to cower away. He used the moment to sonic them, revealing their true forms as the same strange fish aliens as Calvierri.

"Oh, God." Lily moaned while Guido asked in horror: "What's happened to them?

"There's nothing left of them." The Doctor murmured. "They've been fully converted. Blimey, fish from space have never been so… buxom."

"Doctor!" Lily chided and he replied: "Sorry, okay, move!" He ordered and Rory ushered Amy out the room.

The group dashed down the stairs to the first floor, Amy in front with Rory behind, then Lily and the Doctor while Guido brought up the rear as the hissing girls followed behind.

"Give me the lamp!" Guido called.

The Doctor quickly passed it back and Guido shone it on the girls, forcing them back as they all raced through towards the front door. The Doctor called as Amy wrenched the door open: "Go, go, go, guys. Keep moving. Go, go, go."

They all ran out, and the Doctor pushed Lily ahead to follow Rory and Amy as they dashed down the street. The Doctor paused, turning back as Guido called: "Stay away from the door, Doctor."

The Doctor dashed back just as Guido slammed the door shut again. The Doctor shouted as he banged on the door: "No. Guido, What are you doing? I'm not leaving you. What are you doing?"

He called desperately, bashing the door and trying to get it open. When it didn't budge, he tried to sonic it but…

"Argh, bolted." He groaned and he banged on the door before yelling up at the house: "Guido!"

He listened carefully, and he could faintly hear Guido shouting from upstairs: "Come on. Come on."

The man's voice was getting further away, as though he was backing into the corner of the room upstairs where… the Doctor realized what the man was doing. He bolted away from the house, just as the entire building blew up, the force from all that gunpowder blowing up throwing the Doctor off his feet.

He groaned as he looked back, but there was nothing left to go back for, no-one to save. The brave man and all the monsters trapped inside were gone with nothing but ash left.

He stared as Lily came running back, and he pulled her to a stop as she tried to go back inside. She glanced at him but he shook his head as he stared back at the smoking house. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared, while Amy and Rory came up, also staring at the house in horror.

The Doctor glanced up at the sky, seeing the dark thundercloud forming in the sky above the city and he muttered: "Rosanna's initiating the final phase."

"We need to stop her." Amy said determinedly. "Come on."

She took a step forward but the Doctor said firmly: "No, no, no. Get back to the Tardis."

"You can't stop her on your own." Amy pointed out but the Doctor snapped furiously: "We don't discuss this. I tell you to do something, Amy, and you do it!"

He walked right up to the girl, glaring down at her angrily. Amy stared at him, hurt flooding her face but the Doctor remained firm as he demanded: "Huh?"

The redhead turned and stormed off, and Rory quickly murmured to the Doctor: "Thank you."

He took off after his fiancée and the Doctor muttered under his breath: "You're welcome."

"What was that?" Lily demanded and he whirled on her, opening his mouth but she snapped: "Don't try that on me, it won't work. I'm not Amy, you getting angry with me won't send me away sulking."

"Lily, get back to the Tardis, it's dangerous." The Doctor warned and she scoffed: "When was it not? Now, come on!"

She ran towards the Calvierri house and the Doctor frowned. He shouted as he ran with her: "Lily, just go back to the Tardis!"

"No!" She retorted. "I'm not stupid, I know you only said that because Rory's been guilting you. But I don't have anyone who needs me, so it's fine if-"

"I need you!" The Doctor shouted desperately. She froze, mid-run and the Doctor screeched to a stop with her.

"Lily, I need you, and I won't be able to live with myself if something happened to you, so please, love. Go to the Tardis." He begged and she stared at him. He peered into her hazel eyes and was startled to see the shock inside them.

"Why?" She asked in a whisper and he blinked.

"Sorry?" He asked and she demanded: "Why? What'd I ever do?"

His gaze softened as he murmured sadly: "Everything."

She couldn't remember, and he couldn't tell her- he wasn't sure what was suppressing her memories but he was slowly realizing that the cracks in the wall had something to do with her lost memories. And if he accidentally triggered their return… the overload of information could break her mind.

And he'd never let that happen. But it was so difficult when she was right there, and he wanted so badly to kiss her, to feel her as he remembered in his memories…

He was startled as she lifted her hands to grab his face, staring at him determinedly as she demanded quietly: "And you think I could live with myself if something happened to you?"

The Doctor blinked and his hearts began to beat wildly. She continued seriously: "I can't sit there and just wait, hoping you come back. I won't."

He stared at her as she stared up at him defiantly. Finally he nodded once and she smiled softly as he said: "Okay."

He took her hands gently, removing them from his face but kept a hold on one as they turned back and ran for the Calvierri house.

* * *

The pair ran into the Calvierri house, and the Doctor led the way into throne room. He walked over to the throne determinedly, and Lily helped him open up the backrest on the throne to reveal the workings of Calvierri's machine.

As the Doctor lifted his sonic to the wires, Calvierri whispered: "You're too late."

Lily whirled around as the Doctor turned his head to see Calvierri walk into the throne room. She smiled scornfully as she mused: "Such determination, just to save one city."

She looked at the Doctor as she added pointedly: "Hard to believe it's the same man that let an entire race turn to cinders and ash."

Lily frowned, glancing at the Doctor who just put away his sonic to stare coldly down at Calvierri as she sneered up at him: "Now you can watch as my people take their new kingdom. "

"The girls have gone, Rosanna." The Doctor told her flatly and Lily watched grimly as Calvierri's face changed.

She became paler and her eyes were wide as she said shakily, taking a step back in horror: "You're lying."

"Shouldn't we be dead, hmm?" He pointed out and Lily walked over to stand behind the Doctor as Calvierri looked between them with tear-filled eyes.

Calvierri turned, striding out of the room and the Doctor called, begging: "Rosanna, please, help me. There are two hundred thousand people in this city."

"So save them." Calvierri snapped as she walked out without a backward glance. Lily stared up at the Doctor as his jaw set and he turned back to the throne grimly.

"Doctor, what do we do?" Lily asked as the storm raged outside and he murmured: "I don't know."

He turned and ran out to check the outside situation, as Lily desperately tried to find something in the chair workings to turn the storm off.

"Lily!" Amy called and Lily glanced up in surprise to see Amy and Rory running in.

"Amy! Rory! What are you…?" She trailed off as she stared at Rory.

"What happened to you?" She asked in confusion as she stared at the strange blue dust covering him.

"Um, long story." He replied just as the Doctor ran in.

He didn't pause when he saw the pair, just snapping: "Get out. I need to stabilise the storm."

"We're not leaving you." Rory replied firmly.

The Doctor whipped around as he snapped angrily: "Right, so one minute it's all you make people a danger to themselves, and the next it's we're not leaving you. But if one of you gets squashed or blown up or eaten, who gets the-"

He was cut off as there was an almighty crash and the whole house shook, knocking them all of their feet. As the shaking stopped, Rory asked: "What was that?"

"Nothing." The Doctor bit out as he helped Lily to her feet before turning to the throne again. "Bit of an earthquake. "

"An earthquake?" Amy repeated incredulously and the Doctor said dismissively: "Manipulate the elements, it can trigger earthquakes. But don't worry about them."

"No?" Rory asked, and the Doctor replied: "No. Worry about the tidal waves caused by the earthquake."

The pair stared at him in horror but the Doctor just turned back to the throne.

"It's locked." Lily told him and the Doctor listed calmly: "Right, Rosanna's throne is the control hub but she's locked the programme, so," he turned to Amy and Rory as he continued: "tear out every single wire and circuit in the throne. Go crazy. Hit it with a stick, anything."

They all moved to the throne, Amy and Rory doing as he said as the Doctor muttered: "We need it to shut down and re-route control to the secondary hub, which I'm guessing will also be the generator."

As Amy, Rory, and Lily began to destroy the throne, the Doctor pulled out his sonic and began to trace the different wires, trying to find the generator. He headed up the bell tower and as he got closer, the bell became louder and louder but he just laughed, knowing he was closing in on the right spot.

As he reached the bell, he shouted at it: "Shut up!"

He grabbed the bell, holding it still as he ordered: "Shut up."

It went quiet and he muttered: "That's better."

He followed the conductor and began to climb up the bell tower, using the cables and the tower's pillars to pull himself precariously up onto the rood.

Down below, Amy, Rory, and Lily ran outside having finished destroying the throne. They stared up, trying to see through the rain pouring down on them, and Rory shouted: "There he is." He pointed to a figure up on the roof and Lily blanched. One false move and he would plummet to the ground.

"Come on!" Rory called in support as the Doctor pulled himself onto the top of the cone-shaped roof where a large brass ball sat. He opened it to reveal the clockwork and he quickly reached inside, trying to figure it out.

"Come on." Rory muttered as Amy shouted: "Come on!"

"Doctor!" Lily shouted above the storm, and the Doctor found the tiny switch on the topmost spinning dial. He pulled it and immediately the storm stopped, the clouds dissipating and revealing the sun once more.

Amy and Rory began to laugh and cheer as the crowds of people below also cried out in relief, cheering up at the skies. Lily smiled as the Doctor stood up and then smiled down at them.

"You did it!" Rory laughed and the Doctor smiled and waved at them before he started to climb back down.

Lily raced inside, heading to meet the Doctor as Amy pulled Rory in for a victorious kiss.

She raced through the house, spotting the Doctor's back as he disappeared through a side passage. She followed quickly, wondering where he was going but stopped as she heard him cry: "Rosanna!"

He'd stopped at the doorway to a canalside, and Lily hesitated as she heard Calvierri say in a small voice: "One city to save an entire species. Was that so much to ask?"

Lily's heart fell and she was abruptly anxious as the Doctor urged, stepping outside: "I told you, you can't go back and change time. You mourn, but you live. I know, Rosanna. I did it."

Lily slowly walked towards the doorway, not understanding. But something in her mind niggled at her, as though desperately trying to be free. She paused and peered out the doorway as Calvierri turned from her spot at the end of a plank, placed above a bubbling canal.

Calvierri said coldly: "Tell me, Doctor. Can your conscience carry the weight of another dead race?"

The Doctor froze where he was, halfway between the doorway and the plank. Calvierri saw Lily behind him and she called back sharply: "That's who you are, Doctor. Remember that. And remember us."

She turned back to the canal and she whispered: "Dream of us."

Calvierri stepped off the plank as Lily cried: "No!"

"No!" The Doctor shouted, reaching out after the falling woman."No!"

But it was too late as she was consumed by her sons, her broken perception filter stopping them from recognizing her. The Doctor stood up slowly, turning to face Lily as the girl stood ashen faced at the doorway. She was staring at the bubbling canal but she lifted her eyes to meet the Doctor's.

Her heart broke as she saw the pain in his eyes and she rushed over, taking him into her arms. He buried his face in her wet hair, and Lily hugged the Doctor tightly as he mourned the loss of the alien species, soothing him as best she could as she prayed silently that he wouldn't blame himself too much for what had happened.

* * *

The four walked back through the market place and Lily's lips tugged as she saw the inspector give the Doctor a deep bow as they passed. The Doctor didn't notice as he said brightly: "Now then, what about you two, eh?"

He spun to face Amy and Rory as he said cheerily: "Next stop Leadworth Registry Office. Maybe I can give you away."

He mused as he opened the Tardis door. Rory glanced back at Amy, sighing as he muttered: "It's fine. Drop me back where you found me. I'll just say you've-"

"Stay." Amy interrupted.

He looked back at her in surprise as she continued: "With us. Please." She glanced briefly at the Doctor and Lily, who smiled. "Just for a bit. I want you to stay."

Rory's face broke into a hopeful smile and he glanced at the Doctor, who replied with a smile: "Fine with me."

"Yeah?" Rory asked and he glanced at Lily who beamed and nodded.

He looked back at Amy as he said: "Yes, I would like that."

"Nice one." Amy beamed before she leaned in and kissed him enthusiastically.

She added as she pulled back: "I will pop the kettle on. Hey, look at this." She called as she slung an arm around Lily and walked over to the Tardis.

"Got our spaceship, got our boys, got each other. Our work here is done, wouldn't you say?" She said as she turned up her nose and Lily laughed as she followed the redhead inside, shaking her head.

Rory turned to the Doctor as he said: "Er, we are not their boys."

"Yeah, we are." The Doctor corrected and Rory nodded in defeat: "Yeah, we are."

Rory was just stepping in when suddenly the Doctor grabbed him and said urgently: "Rory, listen to that."

"Er, what?" Rory asked as they peered around the suddenly empty market place.

"All I can hear is… silence." Rory commented with an easy shrug as he walked into the Tardis and the Doctor glanced at him before slowly following him inside.


	19. 7-1 Amy's Choice

The Tardis wheezed and the Doctor popped his head out of the doors. He glanced down and grimaced.

"Uh, Lily?" He said over his shoulder and she replied: "Yeah?"

"I landed on Amy's flowers." The Doctor said sheepishly and Lily commented as he stepped out: "Oh, she's going to kill you."

He reached a hand over to help her out, and Lily stepped over the ruined flower beds as the Doctor called happily: "Rory!"

Lily beamed as she saw her friend walking out towards them, his arms spread wide as he called back: "Doctor. Lily."

The young woman grinned back, looking highly amused as she saw Rory's long ponytail while the Doctor admitted: "I've crushed your flowers."

"Oh, Amy will kill you." Rory commented and Lily laughed while the Doctor pulled a face.

He looked around then, missing the redhead in question, and he asked curiously: "Where is she?"

"She'll need a bit longer." Rory explained as he jerked his hand over his shoulder and the Doctor called: "Whenever you're ready, Amy."

Amy finally appeared in the cottage doorway, and Lily's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in delight as the familiar redhead waddled out.

"Oh, way-hey!" The Doctor cried and Amy yelled back happily to her friends.

"You've swallowed a planet." The Doctor added as he stared at her swollen stomach, and Lily rolled her eyes at him affectionately before beaming at Amy.

"I'm pregnant." Amy told him as Lily carefully reached over to hug her friend.

"Hey, you." Amy greeted, and Lily grinned back as she answered: "Congratulations."

"You're huge." The Doctor went on as he stared at Amy's stomach.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant." Amy repeated and the Doctor said as he looked between Amy and Rory: "Look at you. When worlds collide."

"Doctor, she's pregnant." Lily tried but the Doctor just hugged the pair as he said contently: "Oh, look at you both. Five years later and you haven't changed a bit, apart from age," he indicated Rory's ponytail, "and… size."

He finished as he stared at Amy's stomach again.

"Oh, it's good to see you, Doctor." Amy replied, giving up.

The Doctor paused, and then he asked: "Are you pregnant?"

Lily snorted while Amy chuckled, and the girls walked on ahead as the Doctor tapped Rory's face in congratulations. Lily walked happily with Amy, the two women arm in arm as the group walked down the street while they chatted.

They'd just started catching up when Amy suddenly grabbed her friend's left hand, staring at the ring on it.

"You're engaged!" She cried happily and Lily blushed although she nodded with a smile.

The Doctor glanced over with a grin as Rory congratulated: "Good for you two!"

"When's the wedding?" Amy asked eagerly and Lily laughed: "Whenever we stop for breath."

Amy nodded sympathetically at that, but Lily seemed happy so she was happy too.

The Doctor pulled slightly ahead then on his long legs as he commented: "Ah, Leadworth."

He glanced around as he added somewhat sarcastically: "Vibrant as ever."

Lily smiled, knowing the quiet town was killing him with boredom already, but she was glad they'd come by – it had been far too long since they'd seen Amy and Rory.

Rory meanwhile answered obliviously: "It's Upper Leadworth, actually. We've gone slightly upmarket."

"Where is everyone?" The Doctor asked as he looked around at the fairly empty town, and Amy replied lightly: "This is busy."

As the Doctor looked around in disbelief, she sighed and admitted in defeat: "Okay, it's quiet, but it's really restful, and… and healthy."

Lily peered around skeptically, and Amy added quickly: "Loads of people here live well into their nineties."

"Well, don't let that get you down." The Doctor retorted and Lily sighed.

"It's not getting me down." Amy snapped as she sat down on a nearby bench, needing a break.

The group crowded around her naturally, and at Lily's warning look the Doctor quickly changed subjects, saying cheerily: "Well, I wanted to see how you were. You know me, I don't just abandon people when they leave the Tardis." He declared as he sat down beside Amy.

Lily sat beside him and Rory settled beside her as the Doctor continued: "This Time Lord's for life. You don't get rid of your old pal the Doctor so easily."

Amy raised her brows and she looked at Lily as she asked: "Hmm. You came here by mistake, didn't you?"

Lily nodded while the Doctor admitted sheepishly: "Yeah, bit of a mistake. But look, what a result. Look at this… bench. What a nice bench."

He paused awkwardly before adding in a mutter. "What will they think of next?"

Lily had to smile as she leaned in on the Doctor's shoulder, knowing the quiet was probably driving him crazy. Sure enough he began again, fidgeting: "So. What do you do around here to stave off the, you know..."

"Boredom?" Amy asked at the same time the Doctor said: "Self harm?"

Amy glared at him while Lily smacked his shoulder in silent scolding. But even she had to admit, the quiet town wasn't really something she'd expected from impulsive, energetic Amy.

"We relax." Rory said firmly, trying to alleviate the awkward tension, and the Doctor mouthed to Lily: 'Relax?'

She gave him a look that clearly said: 'Behave', while Rory didn't notice as he looked around at the peaceful village, continuing: "We live."

There was another awkward silence and he added: "We listen to the birds."

"Yeah, see?" Amy chimed in as they heard the birds chirping away in the distance. "Birds. Those are nice."

She trailed off and Lily could detect the faint annoyance in her voice.

' _So, this wasn't Amy's idea then.'_ She confirmed with a sigh while Rory said pointedly: "We didn't get time to listen to birdsong back in the Tardis days, did we?"

"Oh blimey," the Doctor groaned as he gripped his head, "my head's a bit."

Lily also winced as the birdsong became really loud.

The Doctor continued to groan: "Ooo. Er, no, you're right," he mumbled and Lily suddenly felt somewhat sleepy, "there wasn't a lot of time for birdsong back in the good," Lily's head lolled a little as she became incredibly sleepy "old..."

The Doctor trailed off as their heads all fell forward as sleep claimed them.

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

"…Days. What?" The Doctor said abruptly as he woke up on the floor before the Tardis console.

"No, yes, sorry, what?" The Doctor asked, somewhat dazed as he got to his feet and he spotted regular, short-haired Rory coming out from the passage leading to his room as non-pregnant Amy came out from another side.

"Oh, you're okay." The Doctor cried. "Oh, thank God. I had a terrible nightmare about you two."

He gripped the console, still in some shock as he gasped: "That was scary. Don't ask. You don't want to know."

He quickly hugged Amy as he said: "You're safe now."

"Oh, okay." She said in surprise and the Doctor snapped his fingers at Rory as he finished: "That's what counts."

As he turned back, Lily also walked in, looking a little confused.

He grinned as he called: "Ah, Lily. You were there too, but it was alright, nothing terrible."

"I was where?" She asked in confusion but the Doctor waved it off as he commented: "Blimey. Never dropped off like that before. Well, never, really."

He wandered back to the console while Lily peered down at Amy's stomach and Amy peered at the back of Rory's head. The Doctor continued obliviously: "I'm getting on a bit, you see. Don't let the cool gear fool you."

Now Lily was peering at the back of Rory's head while Amy glanced at Lily's now empty hand. The Doctor carried on as he stared at the console: "Now, what's wrong with the console? Red flashing lights. I bet they mean something."

He bent down to examine the bottom of the console while Lily rolled her eyes at him, but she perked up in interest as Rory piped up: "Er, Doctor, I also had a kind of dream… thing."

"Yeah, so did I." Amy said slowly, and Rory said quickly as he turned to her: "Not a nightmare, though, just, er, we were married."

Lily stared, frowning as Amy agreed: "Yeah. In a little village."

The Doctor had also paused, lifting his head slowly as Rory went on: "A sweet little village, and you were pregnant."

He gestured at Amy as the Doctor stood up, staring at the pair intently while Amy agreed once more: "Yes, I was huge. I was a boat."

Rory was looking confused as he asked slowly: "So you had the same dream, then?"

The Doctor had come over to peer at the back of Rory's head as Rory asked: "Exactly the same dream?"

"Are you calling me a boat?" Amy demanded.

Rory avoided the question as he turned to the Doctor saying: "And Doctor, you and Lily were visiting."

"Yeah, yeah, you came to our cottage." Amy added. "And you two were engaged…"

"Except we hadn't decided on a wedding date?" Lily asked quietly and Amy nodded: "Yeah!"

She then looked confused while Lily turned to frown at the Doctor as Rory asked: "How can we have the same dream? It doesn't make any sense."

Amy added as she looked at the Doctor shrewdly: "And you had a nightmare about us, except it was good with Lily. What happened to us in the nightmare?"

"It was a bit similar, in some aspects." The Doctor muttered as he avoided looking at them directly.

Amy's eyes narrowed while Rory asked slowly: "Which aspects?"

"Well, all of them." The Doctor admitted and Lily frowned as Amy said flatly: "You had the same dream."

"Basically." He admitted and Lily asked: "How is that possible?"

The Doctor glanced at her warily while Rory suddenly pointed out: "You said it was a nightmare."

The Doctor quickly tried to do damage control as he said: "Did I say nightmare? No, more of a really good… mare."

Amy's face was unimpressed as Rory sighed and Lily shook her head in exasperation.

"Look, it doesn't matter." The Doctor said at last. "We all had some kind of… psychic episode. We probably jumped a time track or something."

"That's not possible." Lily pointed out, and he sighed.

He turned away as he dismissed: "Forget it."

The others all glanced around as they heard a bird singing.

"We're back to reality now." The Doctor was saying and Amy said slowly: "Doctor? If we're back to reality, how come I can still hear birds?"

The Doctor had frozen, also hearing it. Lily reached for his hand, fear starting to creep in, as Rory said puzzled: "Yeah, the same birds. The same ones we heard in the-"

* * *

 _Leadworth_

"Dream." Rory finished as he opened his eyes and he jumped as his eyes met the Doctor's green ones.

The pair's foreheads were pressed together while Lily was passed out on the Doctor's lap, although she jerked awake as the Doctor and Rory jumped apart.

"Oh! Sorry." Rory said quickly. "Nodded off."

The Doctor stared between Rory and Amy, who was once again clutching her bloated stomach, and Lily who was sitting up, the diamond ring gleaming on her right hand.

"Stupid." Rory was muttering. "God, I must be overdoing it. I was dreaming we were back on the Tardis."

The Doctor had checked his braces with a frown and he stood up abruptly, beginning to wander around as Lily quickly followed. Rory looked over to see Amy's shocked face and he sighed: "You had the same dream, didn't you?"

"Back in the Tardis." She agreed. "Weren't we just saying the same thing?"

The Doctor ignored her as he picked up a leaf and inspected it.

Lily was waving her hand before her face with a frown as Rory asked: "But we thought this was the dream, didn't we?"

"I think so." Amy muttered before she groaned as she heaved herself to her feet: "Why do dreams have to fade so quickly?"

"Doctor, what is going on?" Rory called.

The Doctor ignored him as well as he stared at Lily's hand as she finally stopped waving it. She looked back at him, fear tinting her eyes and his gaze darkened while Amy asked as she and Rory walked over: "Is this because of you? Is this some Time Lordy thing because you've shown up again?"

"Listen to me." The Doctor told them urgently as he turned slowly on the spot to look around. "Trust nothing. From now on, trust nothing you see, hear or feel."

Rory looked around wildly before he turned to the Doctor, protesting: "But we're awake now."

"We might not be." Lily murmured at the same time the Doctor pointed out: "Yeah. You thought you were awake on the Tardis, too."

He grabbed Lily's hand and started to slowly walk down the street as Amy protested: "But we're home."

"Yeah, you're home." The Doctor retorted.

"You're also dreaming. Trouble is, Rory, Amy, which is which?" He asked pointedly as he glanced between them.

He then turned to look around again as he questioned: "Are we flashing forwards or backwards?"

They stood frozen as fear began to grip them. He turned to Lily as her hand squeezed his and he said in a low voice as he stared into her determined hazel eyes: "Hold on tight. This is going be a tricky one."

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

They all jerked awake once more and the Doctor dashed to the console, pulling Lily with him as Rory and Amy looked around wildly.

The Tardis was shaking as it wheezed and the Doctor growled angrily: "Oh, this is bad."

He let go of Lily as he walked a little away, snapping: "I don't like this!"

He kicked the console, hard.

"Doctor!" Lily scolded while Amy gasped and the Doctor keeled over in pain.

"Argh." He groaned as he clutched his knee.

Lily sighed as she took him by the arm and sat him down gently while he cursed: "Never use force. You just embarrass yourself. Unless you're cross, in which case… always use force."

"Doctor." Lily chided, softly this time as she tried to check him.

He sighed and shrugged her off, heading below the console platform instead while Amy called: "Shall I run and get the manual?"

"I threw it in a supernova." The Doctor replied as he limped down the stairs and Lily sighed again.

"Why does that not surprise me?" She muttered while Amy asked flatly: "You threw the manual in a supernova? Why?"

"Because I disagreed with it." The Doctor snapped. "Stop talking to me when I'm cross."

Rory asked confusedly: "Okay, but whatever's wrong with the Tardis, is that what caused us to dream about the future?"

" _If_ we were dreaming of the future." The Doctor pointed out, and Amy retorted: "Well, of course we were. We were in Leadworth."

"Upper Leadworth." Rory corrected and Lily shook her head in exasperation.

The Doctor walked back up to them as he retorted: "Yeah, and we could still be in Upper Leadworth, dreaming of this. Don't you get it?" He asked irritably.

"No, okay?" Amy snapped. "No, this is real. I'm definitely awake now."

"You might not be." Lily replied and the Doctor nodded as he said: "You thought you were definitely awake when you were all… elephanty."

He mimicked a puffed body and Amy said sharply: "Hey."

She lifted a spanner threateningly as she emphasized: "Pregnant."

"And you could be giving birth right now." The Doctor snapped back. "This," he indicated the Tardis, "could be the dream. I told you. Trust nothing we see or hear or feel."

Lily pursed her lips thoughtfully and Rory looked down at the tool he was holding as the Doctor ordered: "Look around you. Examine everything. Look for all the details that don't ring true."

The Doctor pulled the tools from Amy and Rory respectively as he finished. He was just turning to Lily, when Rory pointed out: "Okay, we're in a spaceship that's bigger on the inside than the outside."

"With a bow tie-wearing alien and his human girlfriend." Amy added.

Both Lily and the Doctor blushed but tried not to show a reaction as Rory finished: "So maybe what rings true isn't so simple."

The Doctor paused, getting past the embarrassment as he realized they were right.

"Valid point." He admitted, when suddenly the whole Tardis switched off, throwing them all into darkness. The only light was coming from the center where the time rotor was. Lily slowly looked over at the Doctor, and her heart sank as he confirmed her worst fears.

"It's dead." He whispered, and his voice echoed slightly in the abruptly silent room. "We're in a dead time machine."

The birds began to sing again and Rory quickly walked over to hug Amy as the Doctor pulled Lily into his arms. The Doctor urged them all quickly: "Remember, this is real. But when we wake up in the other place, remember how real this feels."

"It is real." Amy retorted. "I know it's real."

* * *

 _Leadworth_

The Doctor and Lily stood up to face down the street where a teacher was leading a group of children down in single file. The church clock chimed in the distance as Rory and Amy woke up, sitting on a bench and Amy declared firmly: "Okay, this is the real one. Definitely this one. It's all solid."

She finished by touching her stomach, and Lily sighed quietly while the Doctor retorted: "It felt solid in the Tardis too. You can't spot a dream while you're having it."

He began to wave his hand before his face like Lily had earlier and Rory asked as he and Amy came over: "What are you doing?"

"Breakages in the image." Lily explained.

"Looking for motion blur, pixilation." The Doctor added. "It could be a computer simulation."

He gave up, not seeing anything this time either, and he examined Rory's face briefly as he muttered: "I don't think so, though."

A kindly old woman walked passed and she greeted: "Hello, Doctor."

"Hi." The Doctor said at the same time Rory greeted kindly: "Hello."

The old woman looked at the Doctor curiously while Lily looked surprised. The Doctor also turned to Rory as he said suspiciously: "You're a doctor."

"Yeah." Rory replied and he added pointedly: "And unlike you, I've actually passed some exams."

Amy lifted her head in irritation while the Doctor said thoughtfully: "A doctor, not a nurse. Just like you've always dreamed."

He grabbed Lily's hand as he walked down the street once more, murmuring: "How interesting."

"What is?" Rory asked as he and Amy hurried to catch up and the Doctor pointed out: "Your dream wife, your dream job, probably your dream baby. Maybe this is your dream."

Rory said defensively: "It's Amy's dream too. Isn't it, Amy?"

He smiled and Amy replied a little too quickly: "Yes. Course it is, yeah."

"A quiet future in Leadworth?" Lily asked, and Amy faltered.

But the redhead recovered quickly, saying pointedly: "Says the person engaged to the Doctor."

Lily frowned, but the Doctor cut in as he asked, pointing to a building where the old woman had disappeared into: "What's that?"

"Old people's home." Amy replied as though it was obvious.

The Doctor turned to examine the building, taking in the sign that read: 'SARN Residential Care Home'. Lily watched the old man peering out of the window, and then the old woman at another window.

"You said everyone here lives to their nineties." The Doctor murmured.

They watched as another old man appeared at the upstairs window. The Doctor continued: "There's something here that doesn't make sense."

He trailed off a little and he glanced at Lily. She nodded and he smiled a little as he said: "Let's go and poke it with a stick."

He dashed off for the house with Lily, Rory following quickly while Amy whined as she clutched her stomach: "Oh. Can we not do the running thing?"

As they entered the main lounge, a woman called in greeting: "Oh hello, Dr. Williams."

Rory waved in greeting as the Doctor peered around while another old woman called from where she was sitting and knitting: "Hello, Rory love."

"Hello, Mrs. Poggit." Rory said as he walked over. "How's your hip?"

The Doctor let go of Lily to peer around, examining the place while Mrs. Poggit replied to Rory lightly: "A bit stiff."

The Doctor rattled off: "Oh, easy, D-96 compound, plus."

Rory and Amy glanced at him while Lily shook her head frantically. The Doctor amended: "No, you don't have that yet. Forget that."

He walked back to them as Mrs. Poggit asked Rory: "Who's your friend? A junior doctor?"

The Doctor raised his brows as Rory glanced at the Doctor before replying briefly: "Yes.

Lily suppressed a smile and the Doctor also looked vaguely amused, when the old woman suddenly piped up: "Can I borrow you? You're the size of my grandson."

She shuffled the sweater she was almost finished knitting, holding it up. The Doctor paused, but unable to find a polite excuse he leaned in and allowed the old lady to place the sweater on him as he muttered: "Slightly keen to move on. Freak psychic schism to sort out."

As the old woman finished pulling the sweater down, the Doctor suddenly leaned in to her, examining her closely.

"You're incredibly old, aren't you?" He asked in a dark voice. Lily frowned- while the Doctor could often just be rude, this didn't seem like one of his usual bouts of general ignorance.

But before she could dwell on the thought, they heard the bird songs and once again they all collapsed as sleep claimed them.

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

"Okay," Amy muttered, sounding strained, "I hate this, Doctor. Stop it, because this is definitely real."

The Doctor ignored her as he began working away at the console. He dashed off carrying a small contraption and Amy continued to insist, shouting after him: "It's definitely this one! I keep saying that, don't I?" She suddenly added as she turned to Rory and Lily.

Lily nodded as she shivered while Rory commented as he rubbed his arms: "It's bloody cold."

"The heating's off." The Doctor called back to them and Rory repeated in a petulant tone: "The heating's off."

The Doctor called back, a hint of annoyance in his tone: "Yeah. Put on a jumper. That's what I always do."

"Er, yes. Sorry about Mrs Poggit." Rory said sheepishly as the three humans continued to rub their arms and shiver. "She's so lovely though."

The Doctor peered down at them from the upstairs balcony as he said darkly: "I wouldn't believe her nice old lady act if I were you."

"What do you mean, 'act?'" Amy asked in confusion and the Doctor ignored her as he said puzzled: "Everything's off. Sensors, core power. We're drifting…"

He trailed off as he began to make his way back down to them and he continued: "The scanner's down so we can't even see out. We could be anywhere. Someone, something, is overriding my...!"

He cut off and finished more calmly: "Controls."

Lily yelped as a little man in a red bowtie and tweed jacket suddenly appeared on the stairs behind the Doctor.

"Well, that took a while." The strange man commented and the Doctor whipped around to face the man as Amy and Rory started.

Lily gripped the Tardis console as the man continued mockingly: "Honestly, I'd heard such good things. Last of the Time Lords. The Oncoming Storm. Him in the bow tie."

The man chuckled as he walked down the stairs while Lily's head suddenly hurt.

" _The Oncoming Storm."_

She clutched her head as the Doctor asked the little man quietly, not noticing: "How did you get into my Tardis? What are you?"

Lily shook her head, focusing back as the man mused as he walked passed the Doctor: "What shall we call me? Well," he spun around and looked the Doctor up and down as he commented: "if you're the Time Lord, let's call me the Dream Lord."

The two stood in a tense stand-off as Amy and Rory watched on warily while Lily gripped the Tardis console tightly, her brows furrowed worriedly.


	20. 7-2 Dreams

"Nice look." The Doctor commented as he jerked his chin at the Dream Lord's outfit, and the little man looked down, saying derisively: "This? No, I'm not convinced. Bow ties?" He asked mockingly.

The Doctor was examining the man intently and he slowly reaching inside his jacket before abruptly throwing a stress ball at the Dream Lord. Amy jumped as the ball went right through the man, as though he weren't there while Lily tightened her grip on the Tardis. _I knew it_.

"Interesting." The Doctor muttered.

Amy and Rory exchanged alarmed looks but the Dream Lord just sneered: "I'd love to be impressed, but 'Dream Lord'. It's in the name, isn't it? Spooky. Not quite there."

He disappeared and Lily jumped as he appeared right behind her. Amy gasped as the group turned around as he called: "And yet, very much here."

The Doctor tugged Lily over to him and away from the Dream Lord as he said sharply: "I'll do the talking, thank you. Amy," he addressed the girl without taking his eyes off the little man, "want to take a guess at what that is?"

Lily was clutching the Doctor's shirtfront as she stared at the Dream Lord warily while Amy replied: "Er, Dream Lord. He creates dreams."

The Dream Lord looked a little offended, but the Doctor rattled off flatly: "Dreams, delusions, cheap tricks." He added mockingly.

Amy glanced at the Doctor while Lily tightened her grip on the Doctor, warning him against provoking this 'Dream Lord', and the Dream Lord asked: "And what about the gooseberry, here."

He nodded at Rory as he mocked: "Does he get a guess?"

"Er, listen, mate." Rory interrupted defensively. "If anyone's the gooseberry round here, it's the Doctor."

Lily tensed and the Doctor drew her closer as the Dream Lord commented contemptuously: "Well now, there's a delusion I'm not responsible for."

"No, he is. Isn't he, Amy?" Rory retorted.

He glanced at Amy but the Dream Lord interjected: "Oh, Amy, have to sort your men out. Choose, even." He said pointedly.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed and Lily's face tightened but Amy replied defiantly: "I have chosen. Of course I've chosen."

Rory blinked, looking shocked. Amy realized then that in examining the Dream Lord she'd ended up standing closer to the Doctor, and she leant back and whacked Rory as she said impatiently: "It's you, stupid."

"Oh, good. Thanks." Rory breathed in relief.

The Dream Lord disappeared and they all whirled around as he reappeared behind Rory, saying to Amy: "You can't fool me. I've seen your dreams. Some of them twice. Amy."

Lily's face fell as Amy's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. The Dream Lord continued to taunt: "Blimey, I'd blush if I had a blood supply… or a real face."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed as Rory glanced at Amy, who was looking a little shaken. The redhead was refusing to meet their eyes but their attention was drawn back to the Dream Lord as he commented: "Dear, poor Lily. And you thought Amy was your friend."

It was now Amy's turn as her face fell, but Lily's tightened into hard lines.

"She is my friend." She retorted firmly and the Doctor clutched her tightly in comfort.

"But she doesn't deny it, does she? Even now, she won't meet your eyes." The Dream Lord taunted.

Rory was looking uncomfortable but Lily didn't look at Amy, never taking her eyes off the Dream Lord as she answered: "You can try all you want, but you won't ever convince me of your lies."

The Dream Lord's eyes narrow but Lily held her ground, knowing what he was playing at and refusing to cave to the seeds of doubt he was trying to plant in her mind. His tactics could never work because Lily knew already; she'd seen it in Amy's face before. The Doctor was a special person to Amy, and it was natural she'd dream about him. But Amy's consciousness had chosen, and she'd chosen Rory.

And Lily chose to believe in that choice. The Dream Lord's eyes narrowed at her as though knowing what she was thinking.

But before the Dream Lord could speak, the Doctor drew the shorter man's attention as he let Lily go to walk over to the Dream Lord while he asked in a low voice: "Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?"

The Dream Lord feigned surprise as he asked: "Me? Oh, you're on shaky ground."

"Am I?" The Doctor countered and the Dream Lord taunted: "If you had any more tawdry quirks you could open up a Tawdry Quirk Shop. The madcap vehicle, the cockamamie hair," the Doctor glanced at his hair but the man wasn't finished as he spat, "the clothes designed by a first-year fashion student. I'm surprised you haven't got a little purple space dog just to ram home what an intergalactic wag you are."

The Doctor's jaw set as he stared down at the Dream Lord who smirked before blinking and wondering: "Where was I?"

"You were-" Rory began but the Dream Lord had already snapped at him as he disappeared and reappeared above them on the second-level balcony: "I know where I was."

The Doctor slowly walked back to Lily, drawing her in close as he stared at the Dream Lord with narrowed eyes while the little man called: "So, here's your challenge. Two worlds. Here, in the time machine, and there, in the village that time forgot."

The group exchanged glances and Lily gripped the Doctor once more as the Dream Lord declared: "One is real, the other's fake. And just to make it more interesting," the Doctor turned his dark glare at the smirking man, "you're going to face in both worlds a deadly danger, but only one of the dangers is real. Tweet, tweet. Time to sleep."

They heard the birdsong once more and the Doctor gripped Lily tightly as they fell to the ground. She collapsed and the Doctor struggled to stay awake as the Dream Lord added, just to drive his taunts home: "Oh. Or are you waking up?"

The Doctor fought to stay awake as he lay Lily gently down, but the birdsong was overpowering and he soon collapsed beside her as the Dream Lord sneered down at them.

* * *

 _Leadworth_

The group all jerked awake in the empty care home lounge. They jumped to their feet, the Doctor still in the hideous sweater as the Dream Lord strolled in wearing glasses and a blue suit and tie. Another wave of pain hit Lily as she stared at the suit, and she clutched her head, trying to shake it away.

The Doctor didn't notice, too busy staring at the Dream Lord who was holding up some x-ray scans as he said: "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad. Look at this X-ray. Your brain is completely see-through."

He turned to the Doctor as he added lightly: "But then, I've always been able to see through you, Doctor."

Lily blinked, shaking her throbbing head as Amy stepped forward as she demanded: "Always? What do you mean, always?"

The Doctor's eyes had narrowed and he backed into Mrs. Poggit's empty chair thoughtfully as the Dream Lord ignored Amy and told them: "Now then, the prognosis is this. If you die in the dream, you wake up in reality. Healthy recovery in next to no time. Ask me what happens if you die in reality?"

Lily pursed her lips, and smacked Rory when he actually asked: "What happens?"

He glanced at Lily in surprise, before then his face fell as the Dream Lord snarled: "You die, stupid. That's why it's called reality. Even a girl got that faster than you. Some doctor you are." He scoffed.

Lily glared at the little man angrily and Rory swallowed but Amy demanded: "Have you met the Doctor before? Do you know him?"

Lily glanced at Amy, who should be defending Rory not focusing on the Doctor. Amy didn't notice as she turned to ask the Doctor: "Doctor, does he?"

The Doctor remained silent, his eyes glancing at Amy and then the Dream Lord as the little man said calmly: "Now don't get jealous. He's been around, our boy."

He smirked at the Doctor before turning back to the humans as he said impatiently: "But never mind that. You've got a world to choose."

He turned to the Doctor as he sneered: "One reality was always too much for you, Doctor. Take two and call me in the morning."

With that the man vanished, and Lily watched warily as she took in the Doctor's dark face and his cold green eyes.

"Okay, I don't like him." Rory complained.

Amy folded her arms and stared the Doctor down as she demanded: "Who is he?"

The Doctor shrugged as he replied: "I don't know. It's a big universe."

Lily frowned; he was lying. Amy demanded angrily, refusing to let the subject drop: "Why is he doing this?"

The Doctor murmured: "Maybe because he has no physical form. That gets you down after a while, so he's taking it out on folk like us," he glanced down and realized he was still wearing the ugly sweater, "who can touch and eat and feel."

He quickly tugged off the sweater, while Lily glanced around, realizing what the Doctor had noticed. Rory was asking: "What does he mean, deadly danger, though?"

The Doctor stared around at the empty lounge and shared a look with Lily, who was wide eyed.

Rory went on obliviously: "Nothing deadly has happened here. I mean, a bit of natural wastage, obviously."

The Doctor interrupted as he looked around the room again: "They've all gone. They've all gone."

He dashed out, Lily with him and Rory followed quickly. Amy sighed but followed after, going as fast as she could. The Doctor stopped outside the front door, staring at the playground opposite the care home. The children from earlier were playing, wandering around and laughing as a teacher watched over them.

He narrowed his eyes and began to make his way over as Rory called after him: "Why would they leave?"

Lily was following the Doctor as Amy shouted: "And what did you mean about Mrs Poggit's nice old lady act?"

The Doctor stopped abruptly, turning to the pair as he replied: "One of my tawdry quirks. Sniffing out things that aren't what they seem. So, come on, let's think. The mechanics of this reality split we're stuck in. Time asleep exactly matches time in our dream world, unlike," he pointed out, "in conventional dreams."

He turned to walk away again as Rory added: "And we're all dreaming the same dream at the same time."

Lily nodded as the Doctor turned back and said: "Yes, sort of communal trance. Very rare, very complicated. I'm sure there's a dream giveaway, a tell, but my mind isn't working because this village is so dull!" He suddenly shouted in annoyance

Lily frowned, as he continued snappishly: " I'm slowing down, like you two have."

He nodded at Amy and Rory, but as he turned away, Amy suddenly grabbed her stomach, gasping: "Ooo. Ow."

The Doctor turned to her while Lily raised her brows.

"Really. Ow!" Amy began to scream, her voice going extremely high-pitched, and both men panicked as Amy cried: "It's coming."

She grabbed both men as Lily rolled her eyes behind their backs. Rory was flailing wilding as the Doctor said, white-faced: "Okay, you're a doctor, help her."

He gestured at Rory and then Amy, and Rory snapped back, panicking: "You're a doctor!"

The Doctor said very quickly, trying to calm Amy even as he himself panicked: "It's okay, we're doctors."

Amy continued to squeal in pain and breath heavily as the Doctor bent, squatting down and lifting his arms as though to catch the baby when it fell out. Lily had to suppress a laugh while Rory panicked: "What do we do?"

Amy took a deep breath and then said in her normal voice: "Okay, it's not coming."

The Doctor stood up and he asked, aghast: "What?"

He turned to Lily and, seeing her roll her eyes, demanded: "What?"

Amy called his attention back as she hissed at him: "This is my life now and it just turned you white as a sheet, so don't you call it dull again, ever. Okay?"

The Doctor blinked, staring at her before he muttered: "Sorry."

"Yeah." Amy retorted.

Rory turned to Lily and asked, almost as aghast as the Doctor: "You knew?"

She shrugged as she replied: "It was a little obvious."

The Doctor whirled on her and she replied before he could say anything: "You deserved it."

He shut his mouth sulkily, but conceded. Amy stalked off and Rory glanced back and forth before he followed his wife. The Doctor stood still, working through the after-shocks and the puzzle before them when Lily nudged him. The Doctor glanced down and she nodded over to the playground.

The Doctor looked over and the pair watched as Mrs. Poggit walked up towards the little stone castle where all the children had moved to play. The Doctor and Lily walked over slowly, following Amy and Rory as the former headed to the now abandoned playground.

Amy settled on the swing, folding her arms as the Doctor sat in the other swing. Rory stood behind Amy and Lily stood beside the Doctor, combing his hair with her fingers, straightening it after it was mussed by the sweater earlier.

The stared at Mrs. Poggit and he commented: "Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room."

Rory had his hands on Amy's shoulders and he glanced at the Doctor while Amy turned to glare at him as she retorted: "I have to be this size, I'm having a baby."

Lily pulled the Doctor's hair a little, warningly, while he argued: "No, no. The hormones seem real, but no. Is nobody going to mention Rory's… ponytail?"

He added as he glanced at the offensive subject in question.

Amy finally smiled, although she tried to suppress it, The Doctor grinned, pleased that he'd managed to cheer Amy up and Lily smiled at him as he joked: "You hold him down, I'll cut it off?"

Amy laughed while Rory retorted: "This from the man in the bow tie."

The Doctor countered as he fixed the item: "Bow ties are cool."

Lily had just finished flattening his hair when he jumped up, staring at Mrs. Poggit as she walked up the last of the steps towards the stone castle.

"I don't know about you," the Doctor said darkly, "but I wouldn't hire Mrs Poggit as a babysitter."

"I agree." Lily murmured as she stood beside the Doctor, both staring at the old woman as she watched the playing children before turning creepily to stare at the four of them.

The Doctor murmured: "What's she doing? What does she want?"

But that's when the birdsong started again, and Amy groaned: "Oh, no. Here we go."

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

"It's really cold." Amy said as she and Rory rushed over to where the Doctor was leaning over the Tardiss console while Lily shivered beside him.

"Have you got any warm clothing?" Amy asked desperately.

"What does it matter if we're cold?" The Doctor snapped, annoyed. "We have to know what she is up to."

Amy stared at him while Rory glanced at him reproachfully. Lily touched his arm gently, and the Doctor sighed, murmuring as he rubbed his face tiredly: "Sorry, sorry. Um… There should be some stuff down there. Have a look."

He indicated beneath the console platform and Amy and Rory walked off, but not before Rory sent a chilly glare at the Doctor. Lily rubbed his arm soothingly and he sighed before glancing down at her.

"You should go look, too, love. You look cold." He murmured as he took in her pale face and the way she was huddling in on herself, trying to preserve body heat.

But Lily shook her head, murmuring: "Come on."

She walked below the console, leading him with her by the hand gently. He grabbed a mug on the way and tossed it on the control box as he began to dig around for something to try and jump-start the dead time machine. He found some tools and random junk like a random whisk, tossing them aside irritably, when he had an idea.

He quickly gathered them again and Lily helped him silently as he began to assemble them.

"Sorry." He murmured after a while and she glanced at him questioningly.

"I know I haven't exactly been very understanding, to you and to Amy and Rory." He admitted and Lily sighed.

"No, you haven't." She agreed and his face fell.

But she took it between her freezing hands as she murmured gently: "But it's been because you've been trying to look at the bigger picture and get us out of this mess. Don't worry- I'll let you know if you get too out of hand. But you focus on what you need to, and don't worry about me."

He nodded, and began to work again when he paused.

"Lily…" He began but trailed off.

The brunette girl looked at him questioningly, asking curiously: "Yes?"

He shook his head, murmuring: "It's nothing… just, thank you."

She blinked, before murmuring softly: "You're welcome."

He smiled and turned back to his work, but Lily couldn't shake the feeling that that hadn't been what he had been going to say. But he just finished putting together his device, leading them back to the console as he wired it in and Lily didn't press him.

Instead, she smiled gratefully as Amy returned, carrying blankets for them, and the Doctor commented as Rory arrived too: "Ah, Rory, wind. Lily, love, could you attach this to the monitor, please."

She attached the final wire as the Doctor handed Rory his device with the whisk sticking out. Rory took it and he grumbled: "I was promised amazing worlds. Instead I get duff central heating and a weird, kitcheny wind-up device."

He finished uncertainly as he looked at the thing, and the Doctor explained as fiddled with the console: "It's a generator. Get winding."

Rory did as he was told, but as the monitor stayed blank, Amy muttered: "Not enough."

"Rory, wind." The Doctor ordered and Rory wound the device faster as Lily and the Doctor pushed on the console buttons and wires.

Rory asked as he wound: "Why is the Dream Lord picking on you? Why us?"

They all turned around as the scanner came to life. Lily paused to glance at the Doctor who had frozen on the spot. Amy did the same and she asked apprehensively: "Where are we?"

"We're in trouble." The Doctor replied flatly and Lily walked over to touch his shoulder as he stood tensely while Rory asked as he pointed at the screen: "What is that?"

They stared at what looked like an icy-blue sun and the Doctor murmured: "A star. A cold star."

They turned to stare at the Doctor as he suddenly dashed for the doors, wrenching them open. The three flinched as a bright light and the wave of freezing air that flooded into the Tardis while the Doctor called back: "That's why we're freezing. It's not a heating malfunction. We're drifting towards a cold sun. There's our deadly danger for this version of reality."

He slammed the doors shut as Lily asked: "Is that possible?"

"So this must be the dream." Amy added. "There's no such thing as a cold star. Stars burn."

The Doctor retorted as he hopped from the cold: "So's this one. It's just burning cold."

"Is that possible?" Rory repeated Lily's question.

The Doctor snapped as he dashed back up to the console: "I can't know everything. Why does everybody expect me to, always?"

He pointed an angry finger at Rory.

"Doctor." Lily warned and he simply turned to sit in the chair by the console.

Lily wandered over, and he pulled her onto his lap as he stared at the console thoughtfully while Rory said with forced calm: "Okay, this is something you haven't seen before. So does that mean this is the dream?"

The Doctor said in exasperation: "I don't know, but there it is, and I'd say," he checked his watch, "we've got about fourteen minutes until we crash into it. But that's not a problem." He added as he pulled Lily up with him as he got up.

Rory asked hopefully: "Because you know how to get us out of this?"

The Doctor corrected as he placed a stethoscope around his neck: "Because we'll have frozen to death by then."

Rory's face became incredulous while Amy growled between shivers: "Oh, then what are we going to do?"

The Doctor replied as he began to place the stethoscope on the console: "Stay calm. Don't get sucked in to it, because this just might be the battle that we have to lose."

As he worked, Rory sneered bitterly: "Oh, this is so you, isn't it?"

Lily glanced at him, warningly while the Doctor looked up as well and demanded: "What?"

Rory ignored Lily's look as he scoffed: "Huh, 'what'? A weird new star, fourteen minutes left to live and only one man to save the day, huh?"

He pointed a finger at the Doctor. Amy dropped her head into her hands as Lily's eyes tightened while the Doctor pursed his lips.

"I just wanted a nice village and a family." Rory said flatly.

"Rory." Lily said sharply as the Doctor's face settled grimly, when suddenly the Dream Lord piped up from behind them: "Oh dear, Doctor."

They whirled around to stare at the man as he taunted: "Dissent in the ranks. There was an old doctor from Gallifrey, who ended up throwing his life away."

Lily's eyes narrowed at the little man dangerously but he just continued: "He let down his friends and-"

They were interrupted as the birds began to sing again and the Dream Lord said with mock sorrow: "Oh, no. We've run out of time."

As their eyes began to get heavy, Lily clutched the Doctor's hand as the Dream Lord commented: "Don't spend too long there, or um… you'll catch your death here."

* * *

 _Leadworth_

The Doctor ran up the steps towards the stone castle as Amy, Rory and Lily stood up groggily. Lily was becomingly increasingly annoyed with the continual back and forths, and steadily growing more and more anxious as they faced impossible situations in both worlds.

Like now.

"Where have the children gone?" The Doctor asked darkly as he paused at the top of the stairs, and Rory replied as they joined the Doctor: "Don't know. Play time's probably over."

Lily looked over to see the empty grassy courtyard, with strange piles of sand scattered around, like small anthills. The Doctor had dashed off to scan the sand with his sonic as Rory said happily and somewhat firmly: "You see, this is the real one. I just feel it. Don't you feel it?"

He turned to Amy, but the redhead replied shakily: "I feel it both places."

"I feel it here." Rory retorted as he looked back around at the quiet town.

"Is that really how you feel, or is it what you want to feel?" Lily asked pointedly.

Rory glared at her but she leveled a stern stare at him before turning away. She and Amy watched warily as the Doctor slowly stood up, looking stunned while Rory continued: "It's just so tranquil and relaxed. Nothing bad could ever happen here."

Amy turned to Rory while Lily frowned as the Doctor dashed over to another sand pile, his face grim as he scanned it. Amy was pointing out to Rory: "Not really me, though, is it? I mean, would I be happy settling down in a place with a pub, two shops and a really bad Amateur Dramatics Society?"

Rory gasped, appalled, but Amy snapped: "That's why I got pregnant, so I don't have to see them doing Oklahoma."

She turned away from her gaping husband, calling: "Doctor, what are you doing? And what are those piles of dust?"

Rory looked put out as Amy walked off, but his face whitened as the Doctor replied darkly: "Play time's definitely over."

"Oh, my God." Amy whispered as they stared at the various piles of sand with the little toys and bags and children's belongings around them.

Lily reached out, clutching the Doctor's arm in horror as Rory asked in shock: "What happened to them?"

The Doctor glanced back towards the care home where a line of old people were walking down the street, all matching their paces eerily. Lily gripped the Doctor's arm as he murmured: "I think they did."

"They're just old people." Amy protested.

Lily pursed her lips while the Doctor corrected: "No, they're _very_ old people."

He grabbed Lily's hand and began to run back down towards the playground as he called back: "Sorry, Rory, I don't think you're what's been keeping them alive."

Rory and Amy followed, the redhead much slower, as the old people all stopped and turned in unison to face the group as the Doctor and Lily made their way towards them. Lily was wary while the Doctor was grimly determined, his face darkening as the Dream Lord suddenly appeared a little ahead of them, calling to the old people: "Hello, peasants."

"What's this, attack of the old people?" The Dream Lord taunted the Doctor as he and Lily strode up. "Oh, that's ridiculous. This has got to be the dream, hasn't it?"

The Doctor stopped beside the little man, this time dressed in a light suit with a brown bowler hat as he called over to the other approaching couple: "What do you think, Amy? Let's all jump under a bus and wake up in the Tardis."

He pointed at Lily as he mocked: "You first."

Lily tensed while the Doctor turned his head to glare down at the Dream Lord, saying darkly: "Leave her alone."

"Do that again." The Dream Lord mocked scornfully. "I love it when he does that."

He gestured at the Doctor as he taunted: "Tall dark hero. 'Leave her alone'."

"Just leave her." Rory interjected, annoyed, and the Dream Lord said dismissively as he looked at Rory: "Yes, you're not quite so impressive, but I know where your heart lies, don't I, Amy Pond?"

He added as he looked at Amy, who snapped flatly: "Shut up. Just shut up and leave me alone."

The Doctor had clenched his fists and Lily gripped his jacket anxiously as the Dream Lord walked over to Amy and said slyly: "But listen. You're in there. Loves a redhead, our naughty Doctor."

Amy stared at the Dream Lord as Rory glanced at the Doctor while Lily's heart clenched. The Dream Lord continued: "Has he told you about Elizabeth the First? Well, she thought she was the first. Remind you of anyone?"

He taunted as he turned to look at Lily pointedly, when the Doctor interrupted as he snapped sharply: "Drop it. Drop all of it. I know who you are."

"Course you don't." The Dream Lord scoffed but the Doctor said darkly: "Course I do. No idea how you can be here, but there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do."

His lips curled into a mirthless smile as Amy and Rory glanced between the two nervously. The Dream Lord returned the gesture, looking vaguely impressed and amused, before he said: "Never mind me. You should worry about dear, sweet Lily."

The Doctor glanced over at the girl, and his hearts clenched as he saw her pale countenance and, although she was trying not to show it, the confusion and hurt that pooled in her eyes. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he turned back to glare at the Dream Lord, knowing it was the little man's provocations that were finally getting to the group.

The Dream Lord just added contemptuously: "Oh, maybe you should worry about them, too."

He gestured over to where the old people were starting to walk towards the group as he once again disappeared into thin air.


	21. 7-3 Lily's Choice

As the Doctor turned to face the oncoming army of old people, Rory called out to them nervously: "Hi."

"Hello." Amy added while the Doctor called with mock, forced cheer: "Hello, we were wondering where you went. To get reinforcements, by the look of it. Are you all right? You look a bit tense."

"Hello, Mr. Nainby." Rory greeted an old gentleman, walking closer.

"Rory." The Doctor said warningly as Lily said sharply: "Rory, get away from him."

"Mr. Nainby ran the sweet shop." Rory protested as he told them. "He used to slip me the odd free toffee."

The old man grabbed Rory by the collar, lifting him single handedly off his feet.

"Did I not say thank you?" Rory asked, before the man threw him into the mud by the swings.

Amy gasped as Lily cried worriedly: "Rory!"

The man sat up quickly, asking frantically: "How did he do that?"

"I suspect he's not himself." The Doctor replied urgently.

"Don't get comfortable here. You may have to run, fast." He added pointedly and Amy growled as she grabbed her swollen belly: "Can't we just talk to them?"

They all kept their eyes on the old people warily, and watched as all of them opened their mouths. Lily's stomach heaved as a single green eye peered out of each of the old people's mouths.

"Don't think so, Amy." Lily said grimly.

The Doctor quickly scanned Mrs. Poggit, who stood the closest to them Amy said numbly: "There is an eye in her mouth."

The Doctor murmured: "There's a whole creature inside her. Inside all of them. They've been there for years, living and waiting."

Lily stared at all the old people as they all stood with those eyes peering out of their mouths and Rory murmured revolted: "That is disgusting. They're not going to be peeping out of anywhere else, are they?"

Suddenly, Mrs. Poggit leaned forward and the eye released a blast of a green mist at them. They all flinched away, backing off quickly as the Doctor cried: "Run."

Rory grabbed Amy, Lily hesitating as the Doctor said to the old people: "Okay, leave them, leave them. Talk to me. Talk to me."

Rory grabbed Lily, trying to drag her with them but she pulled away, stopping to watch the Doctor as he spoke to the creatures: "You are Eknodines. A proud, ancient race. you're better than this."

Rory gave up and quickly ran away with Amy, leading the pregnant woman off as the Doctor continued, puzzled: "Why are you hiding away here? Why aren't you at home?"

The alien inside Mrs. Poggit began: "We were driven from our planet by-"

"Planet by upstart neighbours." The Doctor finished, speaking over her as he frowned.

The old man, Mr. Nainby added: "So we've-"

"Been living here inside the bodies of old humans for… years." The Doctor interrupted again, murmuring in understanding: "No wonder they live so long. You're keeping them alive."

Lily watched anxiously as Mrs. Poggit took one step forward, saying: "We were humbled and destroyed. Now we will do the same to others."

"Okay." The Doctor muttered. "Makes sense, I suppose. Credible enough. Could be real." He admitted, just as a paperboy wheeled his bicycle past them, calling: "Morning."

"Look out!" Lily cried, taking a step forward but it was too late as Mrs. Poggit breathed that mist on him. Lily screamed in horror as the young man was turned into dust, crumpling to the ground to leave the same pile of sand they'd seen in the field.

"You need to leave this planet." The Doctor ordered Mrs. Poggit.

"Doctor!" Lily called in alarm as the alien eye peered at the Doctor angrily and began to shriek wordlessly.

"Okay, come on." The Doctor called as he grabbed Lily's hand and they ran away down the road.

But as they went, the birds began to sing again. The Doctor stumbled as Lily struggled to keep her eyes open as he ran down the street.

"Lily, stay awake!" He cried desperately and she retorted desperately: "I'm trying!"

He pulled her to the side, leading her towards a butcher shop. He pushed the door open quickly, slamming it shut behind Lily as she stumbled in. She leaned on the display case heavily as the Doctor quickly swung the front sign, changing it from 'Open' to 'Closed.'

"Like that'll stop them." Lily moaned as she struggled to keep her eyes open, but her blood ran cold as a familiar voice called: "Oh, I love a good butcher's, don't you?"

She stumbled back as the Dream Lord appeared behind the counter, wearing a butcher's apron but also a strange flat, straw hat. He continued as the Doctor spun to face him: "We've got to use these places or they'll shut down. Oh," he pretended to think as the Doctor stumbled to see if the back door would open, "but you're probably a vegetarian, aren't you, you big flop-haired wuss."

"Oh, pipe down. I'm busy." The Doctor snapped as he jiggled the doorknob desperately.

"Busy, hmm? With dear Lily?" The Dream Lord taunted.

The Doctor glared at him and the Dream Lord suggested: "Maybe you need a little _sleep_." He said the word suggestively, but the pair barely heard him as the birdsong became louder.

Lily slumped to the ground, struggling to stay conscious as the Doctor did the same by the back door. The Dream Lord suddenly pretended to look anxious as he taunted: "Oh, wait a moment."

The Doctor struggled to his feet, pulling Lily up too as the Dream Lord mocked: "If you fall asleep here, several dozen angry pensioners will destroy you," the Doctor pushed past with a bleary-eyed Lily, "with their horrible eye things."

The Doctor tried to block their ears, covering Lily's as he pressed her to his chest and covered her other ear with his hand. He stuffed his finger on his other hand into his own ear as they staggered towards the back room while the Dream Lord following, scoffing: "Fingers in the ear. Brilliant. What's next, shouting 'boo'?"

The Doctor sank to his knees as Lily moaned: "Doctor…"

"Lily, stay with me, you can't fall asleep yet!" He ordered desperately, but the girl couldn't fight it any longer as her mind slipped into unconsciousness while the Dream Lord called to the old people outside: "Come in, come in."

"Yes, we've got lots at steak here this week." The Dream Lord joked as the Doctor heard the front door open and the little bell jingle.

He hauled himself and Lily towards the back as the Dream Lord continued: "Lots at 'steak', get it? Are these jokes wasted on you?" He asked in exasperation as the Doctor reached the storeroom door.

The Doctor groaned as the birdsong became unbearably loud: "Wait, wait, stop."

He collapsed against the door, dropping Lily, and the Dream Lord said in mock horror: "Oh. Oh, I can't watch."

The Doctor soniced the door desperately, pulling it open just as the old people turned around the front counter. He heaved Lily inside and slammed the door shut behind him just in time, locking the doors as the old people began banging on it. As soon as he had Lily safe, he slid to the ground, his mind also blacking out.

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

All four of them sat up, and Amy moaned as she pulled her blanket around her tightly: "Ah, it's colder."

The Doctor said quickly as he shivered: "The three of us have to agree, now, which is the dream."

Lily pulled her blanket tighter and reached for the spare as Rory said firmly between his own shivers: "It's this, here."

Lily threw the blanket over the Doctor's shoulders and he glanced at her gratefully as Amy agreed: "He could be right. The science is all wrong here. Burning ice?"

She questioned pointedly, while the Doctor replied dismissively: "No, no, no. Ice can burn. Sofas can read. It's a big universe. We have to agree which battle to lose. All of us, now."

He looked between the three as he insisted, and Amy retorted: "Okay, which world do you think is real?"

"This one." The Doctor replied instantly as he pointed at the Tardis and Rory snapped: "No, the other one."

"Yeah, but are we disagreeing or competing?" The Doctor countered, annoyed.

"Competing? Over what?" Amy asked incredulously. Rory and the Doctor looked at the girls, Rory pointedly and the Doctor with raised brows.

Both girls rolled their eyes, Amy groaning irritably while Lily snapped at the boys: "Grow up."

Rory looked offended while the Doctor just checked his watch.

"Nine minutes till impact." The Doctor announced as he stood up, draping his blanket around Lily and rubbing his arms to try get warm.

The others joined him as Amy asked: "What temperature is it?"

She began to cut her blanket as the Doctor replied: "Outside? Brrr. How many naughts have you got? Inside? I don't know but I can't feel my feet and… other parts."

"I think all my parts are basically fine." Rory said pointedly, and Lily suppressed a groan.

"Stop competing." The Doctor retorted while the girls shared annoyed looks. Lily handed her blankets over to Amy, watching her work as she shivered desperately.

Rory meanwhile picked up the Tardis phone and asked: "Can't we call for help?"

"Yeah," the Doctor replied sarcastically, "because the universe is really small and there's bound to be someone nearby."

He slammed the phone down in irritation and Lily ordered at last: "Stop fighting, both of you!"

Amy threw a blanket at the Doctor as she added: "Put these on, both of you."

She walked over to pull another one on Rory as Lily walked over to help the Doctor pull his on. Rory complained: "Oh, a poncho. The biggest crime against fashion since lederhosen."

The Doctor just silently pulled Lily's on over her head for her as Amy pulled hers on too, saying triumphantly: "Here we go. Our boys."

She looked at Lily meaningfully, clearly trying to make sure there was no tension between them at least. Lily gave her a small reassuring smile as Amy continued: "Our poncho boys. If we're going to die, let's die looking like a Peruvian folk band."

"We're not going to die." Rory protested, and the Doctor agreed: "No, we're not, but our time's running out. If we fall asleep here we're in trouble."

He ran a hand down his face and muttered as he paced before Lily: "If we could divide up, then we'd have an active presence in each world, but the Dream Lord is switching us between the worlds. Why? Why? What's the logic?"

Lily jumped as the Dream Lord appeared, pacing right with the Doctor as he said thoughtfully: "Good idea, veggie."

Rory and Amy flinched, but the Dream Lord smirked: "Let's divide you four up, so I can have a little chat with our lovely ladies."

He gestured at the girls and Lily tensed as the Doctor stared at the Dream Lord thoughtfully. The Dream Lord mocked the Doctor: "Maybe I'll keep them, and you can have Pointy Nose to yourself for all eternity."

He gestured at Rory before he added: "Should you manage to clamber aboard some sort of reality."

Lily blinked as she heard birdsongs again and Rory asked Amy: "Can you hear that?"

"What? No." Amy replied uneasily.

The Doctor glanced at Lily, asking: "Lily?"

She managed to nod once before she keeled over, unconscious. The Doctor frowned, confused, but as the birdsong became louder he quickly moved to reassure Amy: "Amy, don't be scared. We'll be back."

And with those words, the Doctor fell to the ground, unconscious, Rory soon following. Leaving poor Amy all alone, her worst nightmare coming to life.

* * *

 _Empty room_

Lily woke up to find herself alone in a large white room.

"Doctor? Amy? Rory?" She called as she stood up slowly, looking around, frightened.

"Doctor?" She called, and she flinched as the Dream Lord said from behind her: "You know, it's actually somewhat pathetic how much you rely on his presence."

She whirled around to stare at the little man as he continued: "Some things just never change I suppose – and you _are_ so predictable."

"Who are you?" Lily demanded, but she winced as she stared at his changed clothes. This time, he was wearing a brown pinstripe suit with a brown tie and white converse sneakers.

Lily clutched her head in pain as the Dream Lord commented: "Oh, it's happening again isn't it? And yet, for such a clever girl, you can be so stupid sometimes. I suppose the Doctor calls it 'naivety' but I think that's just another words for stupid."

"What's wrong with me?" Lily demanded, cutting to the chase as she glared at the Dream Lord before she winced again as another flash of pain shot through her head.

She tried to focus through the pain but as she looked at the Dream Lord's brown eyes it was like something had slammed a sledgehammer against her head. She clutched it, struggling to breath as the Dream Lord taunted: "Come on, impress me. If you're so clever, why don't you _think_ for once _._ What is happening to you?"

"It's massive headaches and sharp pains." Lily gasped as she tried to think, focusing her mind even as it throbbed with pain.

"Pains that happen whenever…?" He prompted, sounding bored.

"Whenever it feels like something feels familiar." She realized and the Dream Lord nodded.

"Good," he encouraged, although it was in the same bored tone, "but what else?"

"It's, it's like my mind is rebelling, refusing to remember something." Lily said slowly and the Dream Lord prompted: "Which means?"

"I've forgotten something. Something important." Lily pieced it together slowly, and the Dream Lord sighed: "That's it?"

"The cracks…" Lily murmured, and at last the Dream Lord looked interested.

He looked up at the girl as she stared pensively into space, saying slowly: "Those cracks, the end of the universe, a big bang that has the capability of rewriting and reversing time. Time energy… that can erase something's existence."

She realized and the Dream Lord beamed.

"Good!" He clapped his hands delightedly, and Lily frowned at him.

"Why's this important to you? What do you want?" She demanded and the Dream Lord mused: "What makes you think it's important?"

"Because you hate the Doctor." She replied and the Dream Lord smiled mirthlessly.

"So?" He asked and she replied flatly: "So, I know who you are. And I know what you want - you live to torment him. How does this whole thing torment the Doctor?"

His lips curled into a sneer as he replied: "Ooh, so you are a clever little thing, aren't you? So, if you're clever, think about it. What is happening?"

"I'm remembering bits and pieces, and realizing what's wrong…" She said slowly and he nodded.

"And?" He prompted and Lily whispered: "And me remembering will hurt him."

"Mm, that's not quite right, but close enough." He shrugged and Lily demanded: "Why? What's my remembering got to do with the Doctor?"

Her blood ran cold as the Dream Lord replied: "Everything."

Lily started as birds began to sing again and her head lolled forward and she slipped out of consciousness as the Dream Lord said darkly: " _You_ are his ultimate weakness. And no matter your choice, you will never be able to save him from that weakness."

* * *

 _Leadworth_

Lily woke up to find herself in a van with the Doctor in the driver's seat. As she turned her head, looking around blearily, the Doctor glanced over. Seeing her awake, he asked concernedly: "Lily? You awake? Where'd you go? Did he say anything?"

She shook her head, saying tightly: "It doesn't matter."

Knowing what she did, she couldn't tell him- and she had to make her decision. She jumped as the Dream Lord appeared behind them, calling: "It's 'make your mind up' time. You, Lily. And you Doctor, in both worlds."

The Doctor glanced at Lily worriedly, as he retorted to the Dream Lord: "Fine. I need to find my friends."

The Dream Lord scoffed: "Friends? Is that the right word for the people you acquire? Friends are people you stay in touch with. Your friends never see you again once they've grown up. The old man prefers the company of the young, does he not?"

The Doctor's grip tightened on the wheel as he glanced back at the Dream Lord through the rearview mirror. The Dream Lord added as he leered at Lily, mocking: "Even with you, sweet Lily. Didn't stay in touch, did he?"

The Doctor glared at the Dream Lord, warningly. But he was surprised as Lily replied coldly, her decision made: "Say what you want; I've made my choice. No matter how many times, I'll always choose the same. Whatever it takes to protect the Doctor, and keep him safe."

The Doctor blinked in surprise while the Dream Lord's lip curled with disgust before he disappeared.

"What happened? What did he say?" The Doctor asked Lily but she shook her head as she replied, evasive but firm: "It doesn't matter. Like I said- I've made my choice."

She lifted her hand so he could see the ring on it. She said seriously: "I know this isn't real, at least, probably. But I want you to know that even if it wasn't, I still would've chosen you."

The Doctor was surprised and his face softened as he pulled up outside Amy's house. They spotted the old people smashing at the doors and windows with wooden planks, saws, rakes, basically anything they could find.

Both the Doctor and Lily's faces became grim as they looked at the house, the Doctor saying slowly: "Okay."

Lily glanced at him to see he was staring at the upstairs window. He glanced down at her and asked: "Ready?"

"Always." She replied.

He nodded but as she made to get out, he grabbed the hand with her ring. She looked up, startled, and her eyes widened even further as the Doctor leaned down and kissed her. Lily froze, unable to move from the shock, when he pulled away.

"I want you to know, even if this isn't real… if I asked anyone, I would've asked you." He said seriously.

Lily's eyes widened impossibly before her face softened and broke into a small smile. He kissed her again quickly before he pulled her with him and they slipped out of the van, unnoticed by the old people raiding Amy and Rory's house.

* * *

Amy woke up abruptly to find herself in Rory's lap, his arms around her protectively as they sat in the nursery room in her house.

"How did I get up here?" She demanded confusedly.

"I carried you." Rory replied.

"I'm afraid you may experience some bruising." He added, and Amy quickly asked: "Where's the Doctor and Lily?"

"I don't know." Rory admitted, before he leaned to stare at her in the eye as he said seriously: "I want to do something for you."

Amy watched confusedly as he reached back and dug around in a drawer. He pulled out a pair of scissors and Amy watched with wide eyes, frozen in shock, as Rory reached back and cut off his ponytail. Amy gasped, a hand covering her mouth as she stared at him as he sat there, gripping the free remains of his ponytail.

"I was starting to like it." Amy murmured, touched by his actions. Rory blinked in surprise, but they both jumped in alarm as they heard the window opening.

They turned in fear, Rory lifting the scissors threateningly and they breathed in relief as Lily tumbled through, the Doctor behind her as he called: "Sorry. I had to stop off at the butcher's."

He fell down into the room behind Lily, exhausted, and Rory asked anxiously: "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted, though he glanced at Lily. She nodded- they both had a hunch, but if they were wrong…

The Doctor said to Amy and Rory: "I thought the freezing Tardis was real but now I'm not so sure."

"Oh!" Amy suddenly gasped as she gripped her stomach.

Lily's eyes widened in alarm and she shared Amy's panic as the redhead gasped: " I think the baby's starting."

"Honestly?" Rory asked as the Doctor's eyes widened and his head lifted in shock.

"Would I make it up at a time like this?" Amy snarled at him.

The Doctor jumped up, and Lily leaned in to wrap a soothing arm around her friend's shoulder.

Amy breathed heavily and Rory pointed out: "Well, you do have a history of-" Amy glared at him and he hastily switched to: "being very lovely."

The Doctor waved his hands around the girls nervously, unsure of what to do. Amy gasped as a contraction hit her and Lily clutched her, keeping her steady just as a particularly large bang sounded from downstairs. Rory ask the Doctor desperately: "Why are they so desperate to kill us?"

"They're scared." The Doctor replied as he glanced around. "Fear generates savagery."

They all jumped as a garden gnome smashed through a window on the far side of the room. Lily pulled Amy away from the windows in alarm, ushering her into a safer corner of the room as Rory stood up to peer at the broken window. Mrs. Poggit appeared at the window, breathing at Rory and Rory cried in pain as some of the green gas touched his arm.

"Rory!" Lily cried as the Doctor quickly moved to pull Rory back and Amy gasped: "Rory!"

Rory fell to the ground and the Doctor ran to the window, grabbing a lamp and shoving it at Mrs. Poggit, causing the old woman to fall off the roof. Amy crawled over to Rory, holding him tightly as he groaned in pain while Lily watched with wide-eyed fear.

"Rory!" Amy gasped as she held him and the Doctor whipped around to see Rory leaning back on a dresser, saying desperately: "No, I'm not ready."

His hand began to disintegrate as Amy begged softly: "Stay."

Lily's hands were pressed over her mouth and she fought back tears as Rory slowly turned to dust.

"Look after our baby." Rory whispered, and then he was gone, leaving behind a pile of sand. The Doctor ran a hand down his face in sorrow, while Amy sat numbly, staring down at what was left of her love.

"No." She whispered. "No. Come back."

Lily reached over to grip Amy's shoulders tightly as the redhead touched the sand. Amy lifted her head slowly to stare at the Doctor, saying quietly as she began to rock on her knees: "Save him. You save everyone. You always do. It's what you do."

Her voice broke and a tear slipped down Lily's cheek as she held her friend.

"Not always." The Doctor whispered and Amy continued to stare at him as she rocked softly.

Lily glanced at him as the Doctor lowered his head and murmured: "I'm sorry."

Amy stopped rocking and she leaned forward a little as she hissed at him: "Then what is the point of you?"

Lily let the girl go as Amy touched the pile of dust once more. She stood up slowly, backing away to stand beside the Doctor as Amy mourned for a moment longer. Lily took his hand gently, as Amy stood up shakily.

The pair watched her warily as she said firmly: "This is the dream. Definitely this one. Now, if we die here, we wake up, yeah?"

"Unless we just die." The Doctor whispered. Lily held onto him tightly and Amy glanced at their joined hands, he eyes filled with unshed tears and her jaw set as she replied: "Either way, this is my only chance of seeing him again. This is the dream."

"How do you know?" The Doctor asked her seriously, and Amy replied as her voice shook: "Because if this is real life, I don't want it. I don't want it."

She moved to head down the stairs and Lily squeezed the Doctor's hand. His brow was furrowed and his lips pursed.

"It wasn't your fault." She told him quietly and he nodded slowly.

"You know the Dream Lord is only trying to rile you up. Amy didn't mean it, she's just too heartbroken right now to think straight." Lily added and the Doctor sighed.

"I know." He said quietly and Lily let the subject go.

They quickly followed Amy, the Doctor gripping Lily's hand tightly as the redhead stormed out of the cottage. The pair were wary but the old people just stood there, unmoving as they watched them go. Amy demanded furiously: "Why aren't they attacking?"

"Either because this is just a dream," the Doctor answered, "or because they know what we're about to do."

Amy stormed over to the van and turned, holding out her hand for the keys. The Doctor took a deep breath and he warned her: "Be very sure. This could be the real world."

Amy shook her head as she replied defiantly: "It can't be. Rory isn't here."

A tear finally escaped and slid down her cheek as she said brokenly: "I didn't know. I didn't, I didn't, I honestly didn't, till right now."

She sobbed and she broke their gaze to look down at the Doctor and Lily's hands again. She looked at Lily, begging her: "I just want him."

Lily nodded at her, knowing what the redhead was begging her for. Amy was asking them to potentially risk their lives in the hopes that she'd see Rory again. Amy turned back to the Doctor who smiled gently at her as he said softly: "Okay. Okay."

He handed her the van key and Amy walked over to the driver's side. Lily and the Doctor turned to the passenger door, pausing as the Dream Lord stood there watching them silently. The Doctor just sent the little man a dark look as he silently ushered Lily in before following wordlessly.

As the Doctor shut the door, Amy said shakily: "I love Rory, and I never told him. But now he's gone."

She revved the engine, and Lily and the Doctor glanced at the Dream Lord as Amy drove them off. She slammed on the accelerator, breaking through her garden fence. Lily clutched the Doctor's hand closing her eyes as Amy drove the van right into the cottage wall.

*A/N Sooooo… This chapter held a few key hints, though I'm afraid it does confirm that there is still a long ways until Lily finally remembers!


	22. 7-4 Love

_Inside the frozen Tardis_

Lily opened her eyes slowly as it hurt to move. She found herself staring right into the Doctor's bright green eyes, his icicle covered face right before hers as his arms were locked protectively around hers. They stared at each other as the Doctor wordlessly clutched her tighter when the Dream Lord spoke.

"So, you chose this world." He said flatly and Lily turned her head to see Amy and Rory clutching hands as they stared lovingly at one another.

The Dream Lord continued as the Doctor's eyes slid over to the bitter man: "Well done. You got it right. And with only seconds left. Fair's fair. Let's warm you up."

The Tardis restored as they flew away from the cold star and both the lights and heating returned. The Doctor lifted his head painfully as the Dream Lord went on: "I hope you've enjoyed your little fictions. It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to ponder on that. I have been defeated."

Lily's eyes narrowed as she twisted her head slowly to stare at the Dream Lord as he paced up the Tardis stairs.

"I shall withdraw. Farewell." The Dream Lord sent a last dark look at the Doctor before he disappeared.

The group staggered to their feet and the Doctor pulled Lily with him as he began to tug on the Tardis controls. She followed willingly as Amy stood staring wordlessly at Rory, who was saying shakily and confusedly: "Something happened. I. What happened to me? I."

Amy reached in to hug him tightly, still silent. Rory blinked in surprise as he commented: "Oh. Oh, right. This is good. I am liking this. Was it something I said? Could you tell what it was so I can use it in emergencies, and maybe birthdays."

Amy pulled back as the Tardis boomed and began to wheeze again. The Doctor was pulling on various levers, Lily standing to the side, and Amy asked confused: "What are we doing now?"

Lily glanced over at them as the Doctor replied as he twisted a dial: "Me? I'm going to blow up the Tardis."

"What?" Rory demanded in alarm.

Lily's face was determined as the Doctor pointed out: "Notice how helpful the Dream Lord was? Okay, there was misinformation, red herrings, malice, and I could have done without the limerick. But he was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality."

The Tardis began to glow red and shake violently, and Amy demanded as she and Rory came over: "What are you doing?"

"Doctor, the Dream Lord conceded." Rory said desperately. "This isn't a dream."

"Yes, it is." Lily told them grimly and Amy retorted as she glared at the brunette girl, half-begging: "Stop him."

Lily shook her head firmly as the Doctor scoffed: "Star burning cold? Do me a favour. The Dream Lord has no power over the real world. He was offering us a choice between two dreams."

"How do you know that?" Amy demanded and the Doctor smiled.

"Because I know who he is." He answered darkly. He pulled a lever and the whole Tardis exploded, everything fading into white.

* * *

 _Inside the normal Tardis_

Lily shot up, blinking around as she stared at the Tardis.

"Good morning." The Doctor greeted with a cheeky grin as he leaned on the console and she smiled at him. She stood up and wandered over to peer down at what he was looking at in his hands.

"That's it?" She asked and he nodded just as Amy and Rory appeared at the top of the stairs leading to their bedroom.

The Doctor glanced over at them and called: "Any questions?"

Rory scoffed in disbelief, and Amy asked as the pair walked down towards the console: "Er, what's that?"

She nodded at the Doctor's hand and he explained as he showed them the small glowing dust particles: "A speck of psychic pollen from the candle meadows of Karass don Slava. Must have been hanging around for ages. Fell in the time rotor, heated up and induced a dream state for all of us."

He walked off to the Tardis doors, opening it before gently blowing the particles out into space. He shut the door carefully behind him and walked back towards them as Rory asked: "So that was the Dream Lord then? Those little specks."

Lily shook her head as the Doctor replied in surprise: "No, no. No. Sorry, wasn't it obvious? The Dream Lord was me."

Amy and Rory's brows furrowed and the Doctor explained: "Psychic pollen. It's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you, gives it a voice, turns it against you."

He paused and as they continued to stare at him, he added in a low voice: "I'm 907. It had a lot to go on."

Rory turned to Lily and asked: "You knew?"

She nodded and he demanded: "How?"

"It seemed the only explanation." Lily shrugged.

' _And',_ she added in her thoughts as she glanced at the Doctor, _'something about the way the man dressed was familiar…'_

Amy asked in confusion: "But why didn't it feed on us, too?"

The Doctor snorted as he replied: "The darkness in you three, it would've starved to death in an instant. I choose my friends with great care. Otherwise, I'm stuck with my own company, and you know how that works out."

He grinned at Lily. She cracked a smile, but it was small. His gaze softened, and Amy added: "But those things he said about you. You don't think any of that's true?"

The Doctor avoided answering the question as he said: "Amy, right now a question is about to occur to Rory. And seeing as the answer is about to change his life, I think you should give him your full attention."

He shoved Amy at Rory, who said in surprise: "Yeah. Actually, yeah."

"There it is." The Doctor grinned as he walked off to the console.

Lily followed him, as Rory asked: "Because what I don't get is, you blew up the Tardis, that stopped that dream, but what stopped the Leadworth dream?"

Amy suddenly looked very uncomfortable as she replied nervously: "We crashed the camper van."

Rory blinked and he said slowly: "Oh, right… I don't remember that bit."

"No," Amy agreed, "you weren't there. You were already-"

She broke off, shuddering from just the memory.

"Already what?" Rory asked, confused and Amy finally said: "Dead. You died in that dream. Mrs Poggit got you."

"Okay. But how did you know it was a dream?" Rory asked slowly, still not understanding fully. "Before you crashed the van, how did you know you wouldn't just die?"

"I didn't." Amy admitted softly and the penny finally dropped for Rory.

"Oh." He breathed.

Lily smiled at them as she leant against the Doctor contently. He glanced down at her, his eyes soft as Amy murmured: "Yeah."

"Oh." Rory repeated as the shock finally faded and he began to beam.

"Yeah, oh." Amy murmured and the two smiled softly. Rory kissed Amy lovingly, and when he pulled back, Amy leaned in and kissed him again passionately. The Doctor and Lily grinned as the couple before them finally broke apart.

"So, well then, where now?" The Doctor called lightly.

"Or should I just pop down to the swimming pool for a few lengths?" He teased as Amy and Rory glanced over.

Amy raised a brow as she looked at him strangely, but Rory replied cheerily: "I don't know. Anywhere's good for me. I'm happy anywhere. It's up to Amy this time. Amy's choice."

He smiled and Amy grinned.

The Doctor grinned as he turned back to the Tardis, but then he paused as Amy called: "Well, Rory and I are going to, um, check on our bedroom first. Make sure nothing's wrong."

The Doctor turned to her with raised brows as Rory asked confusedly: "We are?"

"Yes, we are." Amy replied firmly as she sent a meaningful look at Lily. The brunette mouthed: 'Thanks' and Amy nodded as she dragged a confused Rory off with her.

The Doctor turned to Lily in surprise, asking: "What was that about?"

"That," Lily replied lightly, "was Amy going off to snog Rory in private."

The Doctor made a face, but he pulled up short as Lily added seriously: "And her subtly giving us privacy to talk."

The Doctor turned to her slowly and Lily said gently: "You can't distract me, Doctor. You don't actually believe what the Dream Lord said was true, do you?"

The Doctor averted his gaze but Lily stepped right up to him, forcing him to look at her as she stared up at him. He stared down at those familiar kind hazel eyes pensively before he finally admitted quietly: "Yes, I do."

She just stared at him sadly, not surprised but no less unhappy, and he continued as he took her hands gently: "Lily, it's not a question of belief. It was just the cold truth spoken right back at me."

She paused, and then said softly: "Rosanna Calvierri, she said something about you watching a race burn. Was that… the Time Lords?"

He nodded sadly, before he was surprised when she hugged him, burying her face into his chest.

"I'm sorry." She whispered sadly, and he blinked. "No wonder you look so lonely, and so sad sometimes."

He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. Placing his chin on her head, he murmured: "It's the punishment I deserve after what I did."

"I don't believe that." Lily answered firmly and the Doctor sighed: "Lily-"

"It is about belief, Doctor." She interrupted and he blinked in surprise, pulling back to stare down at her.

She was looking up at him seriously as she told him: "I might not have known you long, but I've seen you do incredible things. And I bet you can't even count how many lives you've saved."

He opened his mouth but she continued: "And yes, there were those you couldn't save, but isn't that life? We all die someday, and none of that is your fault. And those that you saved, and those that have travelled with you before me and Amy, and Rory - in the end, weren't they happy?"

He started violently.

"How can you be so sure?" He asked numbly.

"I just know it, here." She touched her chest, right where her heart was.

The Doctor blinked slowly as Lily went on seriously: "And it's in the name, isn't it? 'Doctor' - a man who heals."

He stared as she said, firmly convinced in her belief: "What kind of man would choose that as his title, if not a man who'd regret the loss of every life no matter how big or small? What kind of man, if not a good one?"

She stared up at him and he stared back wordlessly as she finished softly: "If not a compassionate one? I believe in what my heart and eyes tell me, Doctor, and they tell me that right now, before me, is the best man, or Time Lord, that could ever live. So don't think so poorly of yourself."

He continued to look down at her mutely, and as she gazed up at him with soft, loving eyes, her determination shining brightly in her hazel orbs, he finally murmured: "How is that you always know what to say? How you always know exactly what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling?"

"Because I know how you think." She replied softly, repeating what he'd said to her that first night she'd met him. And, as she was sure she must've said once sometime in a time she had forgotten.

But it no longer hurt her as she determined not to try to remember that lost time. She'd made her decision, and if remembering would hurt the Doctor, then Lily was content with not knowing what she'd forgotten - even if she wished she could.

The Doctor blinked in shock as her words hit him like a ton of bricks. She knew. She knew she'd forgotten, and for some reason she knew it was potentially dangerous for her to remember.

The Doctor stood frozen as Lily waited patiently for him to work through what she'd said. And she saw when he finally came to conclusion that, despite the less-than perfect outcome, things weren't so bad. Lily gave him a slightly crooked smile, the grin widening when he answered it with one of his own.

But as they continued to stare at each other, something shifted. Lily remembered his kiss in their dream in Leadworth and she blushed. He seemed to be thinking the same thing as his eyes darted down to her lips before returning to her wide eyes.

The Doctor leaned in slowly, bending his head and Lily held her breath as his face came impossibly closer. When he was only a hair's breadth away he murmured, his lips almost brushing hers: "I love you, Lily Tyler."

Her breathing hitched, and he kissed her. Lily's heart raced as she stood frozen for a moment before she kissed him back. He was gentle, and he pulled back slightly after a short while. Lily opened her eyes to stare at him as he gazed down at her with soft, loving eyes and she whispered: "I love you too, Doctor."

He blinked in surprise before a beautiful smile broke across his face. He leaned down to capture her lips with his once more and Lily kissed him back as his hands reached for her waist, pulling her in close against him. Their kiss slowly became more and more passionate and his hands gripped her sides tightly while Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down and closer as her hands buried themselves in his floppy brown hair.

The Doctor's hands wandered down, curling around her thighs before he abruptly picked her up, hooking her legs around his waist. She wrapped her legs around him as he held her up, backing them up to set her on the console so that he didn't have to bend as much to continue kissing her. Just as they used to – though she may not remember - in days passed, in a different body and in a different time.

But always, the same.

The Doctor finally broke away to let Lily breathe, and the pair leaned their foreheads together as they gasped for breath. Lily slowly opened her eyes, meeting the Doctor's as their breathing returned to normal and their hearts slowed down. She smiled and the Doctor grinned as she breathed: "Wow."

"Mmm…" He hummed in agreement, nuzzling her gently.

She giggled and his hearts skipped at the sound. He'd missed this, missed her, and the feel of her in his arms once more made him sigh contently. The only regret he had was that she didn't remember the times before, that she didn't remember this wasn't the first time they'd shared a moment like this.

But he was just glad to have her back, and compared to the alternative he was content even if she might never remember the past. And besides, if he was completely honest, he was slightly worried about how she would react if she ever did; aside from the returned danger that Lily's mind might burn, he had a strong suspicion she might react rather violently towards him after how he'd left her.

He was broken from his thoughts as Lily sighed happily and he smiled as she closed her eyes while her hands played with one of his on her lap. He lifted his other hand to gently cup her face and she opened her eyes again, smiling as he softly kissed her forehead.

He then bent to kiss the tip of her nose, making her giggle before he pecked her lips once more. She smiled and he grinned as she nuzzled her nose against his. They stayed like that for a moment before the Doctor said lightly: "Come on. I'll show you how to fly the Tardis."

Lily's eyes widened in surprise and she asked eagerly: "Really?"

"Really." He teased and she laughed in delight as he turned them both to the console.

The Doctor showed her how to fly the Tardis, and she eagerly started steering the blue box while he watched her with a forlorn smile, remembering the first time. But, as she smiled at him delightedly, the Doctor leant in to give her a small kiss on the side of her head, the way he had that first time, while Lily flew them through time once more.


	23. 8-1 The Hungry Earth

"Behold, Rio!" The Doctor declared as he flung open the Tardis door. Amy peered out eagerly, but her face fell.

"Nah." She said flatly as she stepped out and Lily pulled a face as she and Rory followed.

Lily stared around the graveyard as Rory said sarcastically: "Not really getting the sunshine carnival vibe."

"No?" The Doctor said sulkily as he closed the Tardis door behind him.

"No." Lily teased, and he rolled his eyes as Rory commented dryly: "Maybe you should just let Lily drive from now on – she seems to hit the right destination more often."

"Oi." The Doctor complained sharply while Lily laughed, when the Doctor suddenly stiffened.

"Ooo, feel that, though." He said randomly. "What's that?"

He wondered as he walked forward a few paced before he began to jump up and down on the spot. Lily cocked her head at his strange behaviour before she stood still as well, testing the air, but she couldn't feel anything.

"Ground feels strange." The Doctor commented. He stopped hopping as he turned back to look at them, catching sight of their confused faces.

"Just me?" He muttered. Lily smiled, nodding, and he turned back to the front and paused.

"Wait. That's weird." He murmured, frowning as he stared at the graveyard.

Lily peered over and she also frowned while Rory asked: "What's weird?"

"Doctor, stop trying to distract us." Amy complained as she walked up to him. "We're in the wrong place."

He ignored her, pushing past her to run to the other side of the church nearby, as Amy continued, annoyed: "Doctor, it's freezing, and Lily and I are dressed for Rio."

She gestured at her thin leather jacket and short skirt and Lily's thin shirt and shorts.

"Lily, back me up." She demanded but Lily shook her head, still frowning at the graves.

Amy rolled her eyes and stormed after the Doctor as he leaned down by the grass on one of the graves, saying as Rory and Lily followed hastily: "We are not stopping here. Doctor, are you listening to me?"

Lily sighed, and walked past Amy as the girl whined: "It's a graveyard. You promised me a beach."

Lily joined the Doctor as he pulled out a piece of the grass on the grave. He stood up and glanced at Lily as he muttered: "Blue grass."

She nodded as she pointed out: "They're everywhere."

"Patches of it all around the graveyard." He agreed as Amy and Rory walked over, blinking in confusion.

The Doctor glanced around the area as he mused: "So, Earth, 2020-ish, ten years in your future," he nodded at the three humans, "wrong continent for Rio, I'll admit, but it's not a massive overshoot."

Lily grinned at him as he finished somewhat sheepishly. Rory just raised his brows but Amy was looking into the distance and she asked: "Why are those people waving at us?"

They looked to the other side of the valley to see two small figures waving at them.

"Can't be." The Doctor murmured, his eyes wide.

Rory started to wave back, but Amy smacked his hand down, muttering warily: "Don't."

"Who are they?" Lily asked and the Doctor pulled out a pair of binoculars.

He peered through it briefly before saying in surprise: "It is."

He peered through the binoculars again and then he looked at Amy and Rory and told them: "It's you two."

"No, we're here." Rory said flatly while Amy smiled happily.

Lily snorted at him, and Rory demanded: "How can we be up there?"

"Ten years in your future." The Doctor explained. "Come to relive past glories, I'd imagine."

Rory glanced at Amy as the Doctor added fondly: "Humans, you're so nostalgic."

"We're still together in ten years." Amy said, looking a little perturbed.

Lily snorted again while Rory retorted: "No need to sound so surprised."

"Where am I?" Lily wondered, and the Doctor replied lightly: "Well, hopefully you'll still be with me."

She glanced at him in surprise, but then she grinned, nodding. Amy meanwhile suggested to Rory excitedly: "Hey, let's go and talk to them. We can say hi to future us. How cool is that?"

The Doctor quickly stopped her as she tried to drag Rory forward: "Er, no, best not. Really best not. These things get complicated very quickly."

Amy pouted as the Doctor lectured: "And, oh look."

He suddenly broke off as he was distracted by a large structure off in the opposite distance.

They all glanced at it as the Doctor said slowly: "Big mining thing. Oh, I love a big mining thing." He murmured, and then he added excitedly: "See, way better than Rio. Rio doesn't have a big mining thing."

"We're not going to have a look, are we?" Amy groaned.

"Let's go and have a look." The Doctor grinned and Lily laughed at him as he took her hand and dashed off.

Amy smiled at them fondly while the Doctor called over his shoulder at them: "Come on, you two, let's see what they're doing."

"What was that about," Lily mused as they walked, "when you said the ground felt strange?"

"It felt like there was a disturbance." He explained and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Feeling a disturbance in the Force, Luke?" She teased, and he laughed as he commented delightedly: "Loved that movie, not so much the prequels. Although, wait 'til the sequels come out. Oh, they were to die for."

"Sequels?" Lily repeated in surprise and the Doctor smiled.

"In your future, although, actually, this is 2020. They're out by now." The Doctor explained.

"Can we go see it later?" Lily asked excitedly and the Doctor shrugged as he replied with a smile: "Why not? See, much better than Rio."

"I wasn't complaining." Lily pointed out and he conceded: "No, you weren't. Why I like you much better."

"Mm, is that the only reason? And I thought it might be this." Lily joked, nudging him with her hip flirtatiously, and he grinned back.

"No, it's not the only reason, and you know it." He replied as they arrived at the locked gates to the mining facility. "And not just for _that_ , either."

He winked, and Lily replied cheekily: "If it's any consolation, you do 'hit the destination' pretty well in that area."

"Lily, love," the Doctor groaned, "don't start what you can't finish right now."

She laughed at him, but conceded, giving him a quick kiss instead. The Doctor smiled before he turned, reading the sign aloud just as Amy caught up: "'Restricted access. No unauthorised personnel'. Hmm."

He grinned before pulling out his sonic. Lily glanced over and asked Amy in surprise: "Where's Rory?"

"Putting away my engagement ring. He was afraid I'd lose it." Amy replied as she rolled her eyes. Lily grinned at the other girl as the Doctor pulled off the now unlocked lock.

"That is breaking and entering." Amy hissed at him.

"What did I break?" The Doctor retorted, and then he grinned. Lily snorted as he pointed out: "Sonicing and entering. Totally different."

He pushed open the gate and Lily walked through with Amy, who called back to the Doctor as he paused by the gate: "Come on, then."

The Doctor was staring out back the way they'd come and he called: "You're sure Rory'll catch us up?"

"Yes!" Amy called back, and the Doctor shrugged before joining the girls. He led them through a side entrance and they walked further in, doing down several flights of stairs and through a dark tunnel.

"What about now?" The Doctor asked suddenly. "Can you feel it now?"

Lily looked at him in surprise and then listened intently while Amy replied flatly: "Honestly, I've got no idea what you're on about."

The Doctor stopped abruptly, listening but Lily still couldn't hear anything. Amy was also looking confused as the Doctor said darkly: "The ground doesn't feel like it should."

He began to walk again as Amy shrugged and said: "It's ten years in the future. Maybe how this ground feels is how it always feels."

"Good thought, but no, it doesn't." The Doctor replied just as a soft blaring reached their ears.

Lily started and looked around, and the Doctor nodded at her as he explained: "That's the sound of a drill in start-up mode."

He pulled out his sonic and some of the grass he'd pulled earlier as he said thoughtfully: "Afterwaves of a recent seismological shift and blue grass."

He stuck a blade into his mouth, before sticking his tongue out and pulling out looking revolted. Lily wrinkled her nose, as Amy asked in disgust: "Oh, please. Have you always been this disgusting?"

She chuckled a little, as he tossed the grass away repulsed. He glanced at her and replied flatly: "No, that's recent."

Lily laughed while Amy snorted. The Doctor was distracted as he spotted a door and wandered over to it, asking: "What's in…"

He peered through, finishing: "here?"

Lily peered around as well to see they were looking into a warehouse. A woman who looked around forty was standing by a computer on the far side of the room, and she whipped off her glasses to stare at them in surprise.

"Hello!" The Doctor called lightly as he strolled in, Lily and Amy following.

"Who are you?" The woman asked incredulously.

"What're you doing here? And what're you wearing?" She added as she took in Amy and Lily's outfits.

Amy replied, looking at the Doctor pointedly: "We dressed for Rio."

The Doctor glanced at her in exasperation, before pulling out his psychic paper and saying to the woman as they walked up to her: "Ministry of Drills, Earth and Science."

He waved the paper vaguely and the woman raised her brows skeptically as he continued, speaking rapidly: "New Ministry, quite big, just merged. It's lot of responsibility on our shoulders. Don't like to talk about it. What are you doing?"

"None of your business." The woman retorted, but the Doctor walked over and looked at the screen.

The woman walked off as the Doctor asked incredulously: "Where are you getting these readings from?"

"Under the soil." The woman replied as she moved some equipment from a patched up hole in the middle of the warehouse, and Lily peered over.

"But, Doctor, isn't that…?" Lily asked in surprise as she looked at the wavelengths when an elderly man entered the room, calling: "The drill's up and running again."

He saw the trio just as the Doctor spun around to examine the patch of soil covering the hole in the ground.

"What's going on? Who are these people?" The man asked, and Amy introduced shortly: "Amy, Lily, the Doctor. We're not staying, are we, Doctor?"

She looked at him pointedly, looking bored while Lily watched the Doctor as he bent down and touched the soil.

The Doctor ignored Amy as he asked the woman: "Why's there a big patch of earth in the middle of your floor?"

Amy looked annoyed as she walked over while the woman answered: "We don't know. It just appeared overnight."

"Doctor." Lily said worriedly and he nodded.

He stood up, saying flatly: "Good. Right. You all need to get out of here very fast."

He walked quickly back to Lily and the screen, looking at it closely while the woman asked incredulously: "Why?"

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked and the woman answered confusedly: "Nasreen Chaudhry."

"Look at the screens, Nasreen." The Doctor explained. "Look at your readings."

He gestured at the computer and the woman shook her head, not understanding.

"It's moving." Lily explained while the old man protested, walking over to them: "Hey, that's specialised equipment. Get away from it."

They ignored him as Nasreen asked the pair confusedly: "What is?"

"The ground." Lily told her as Amy suddenly called from behind them: "Doctor, this steam, is that a good thing?"

They turned to look and Lily pursed her lips as they saw the steam rising from the patch of soil. The Doctor muttered as he frowned: "Shouldn't think so."

He walked over to examine it as he said puzzled: "It's shifting when it shouldn't be shifting."

"What shouldn't?" Nasreen demanded. There was a rumble and the whole building shook.

"Lily told you." The Doctor said annoyed.

He rattled off: "The ground, the soil, the earth, moving. But…" he dashed back to Lily and stared at the screen as he asked: "how? Why?"

"Earthquake?" Amy suggested as the place continued to shake.

"What's going on?" The old man asked worriedly while the Doctor answered Amy: "Doubt it, because it's only happening under this room."

He moved back to examine the patch of soil, puzzled. Lily yelped as two more holes appeared in the ground, one right where her right foot was. She backed away quickly, narrowly avoiding falling through, just as another three holes appeared near Amy and the old man.

"It knows we're here." The Doctor muttered as he frowned. "It's attacking. The ground's attacking us."

Nasreen laughed once in disbelief as she said in a shaking voice: "No, no that's not possible."

The Doctor interjected, ignoring her as he said calmly: "Under the circumstances, I'd suggest…" Amy and Lily glanced at him as he paused. He looked around wildly and then ordered: "Run!"

He reached out for Lily, but she just ushered Nasreen to run past her to safety, pushing her gently towards the Doctor. He caught her and pulled her to run to safety, as Lily turned to usher Amy, and the older man behind the other girl, over as more holes kept appearing on the ground. The Doctor pushed Nasreen to the door, turning back for Lily just as the older man yelped in surprise and pain as a hole opened right beneath his foot, causing him to fall in.

"Tony!" Nasreen cried as Amy and Lily dashed over to help the man. The Doctor called urgently, alarmed: "Lily, stay back! Amy! Stay away from the earth."

He began to run back for Lily as she and Amy ignored him, grabbing the man, Tony, as Amy soothed: "It's okay."

"We'll get you out-" Lily began, just as another hole opened beneath Amy.

The girl yelped, and Lily and the Doctor cried: "Amy!"

"It's pulling me down." Amy cried just as another hole opened right beneath Lily.

"Lily!" The Doctor shouted in alarm as Amy cried: "Lily!"

"Amy, don't move!" Lily ordered as she gripped her friend.

She could feel something moving right beneath her foot but the Doctor grabbed her and tugged her out, pulling her away from the hole as Amy called, terrified: "Doctor, help me. Something's got me."

"Stay away from it." The Doctor ordered her as he reached for Amy next.

Lily also reached over to grab her friend as Amy said desperately: "The ground's got my legs."

"I've got you." The Doctor soothed as he grabbed the girl's arm.

"Amy, don't struggle, try not to move." Lily warned as she grabbed the girl's other hand.

"Okay." Amy said shakily, and Lily and the Doctor tugged but Amy didn't move. Whatever had grabbed her was holding on tight.

Nasreen was hauling Tony free as Amy begged her friends: "Don't let go."

"Never." The Doctor and Lily promised together, but Amy sank a little further in.

She tried to remain calm as she asked desperately: "Doctor, what is it, and why is it doing this?"

"Stay calm." The Doctor ordered Amy, avoiding the question. "Keep hold of my and Lily's hand. Don't let go."

He shouted over his shoulder at Nasreen and Tony: "Your drill, shut it down. Go. Now!"

The pair ran out as Lily said to Amy soothingly: "Amy, stay calm, it'll be fine, I promise."

"Can you get me out?" She asked, starting to sound terrified as she wriggled around.

The Doctor said as calmly as he could: "Amy, try and stay calm. If you struggle, it'll make things worse. Keep hold of my hand."

The drilling sound started to decrease, but the ground was still shaking violently and Amy was slowly being pulled in further. Her face was becoming paler and paler as she tried not to panic. Lily gripped Amy's hand tightly as the Doctor assured the girl: "I'm not going to let you go."

He tried to heave her up again, getting to his feet and tugging, but there was a violent quake and he fell back, his grip on Amy failing. Amy squealed in fear as Lily tightened her grip and cried: "Doctor!"

Amy was sinking further and she began to cry in panic: "Doctor, it's pulling me down. Lily, something's pulling me!"

The Doctor grabbed her hand again as he urged: "Stay calm. Now, hold on till they can just shut down the drill."

"I can't hold on!" Amy panicked, and Lily ordered: "Yes, you can! Amy, hold on, please, for Rory's sake, do not let go!"

The drill was slowly becoming quieter and quieter, indicating it was shutting down, but it was still going too slowly as Amy continued to be pulled further in.

"What's pulling me?" Amy begged them. "What is under the earth? I don't want to suffocate under there."

Her eyes were filled with tears, her eyes wide with tears as it was now only her head and arms sticking out of the soil. Lily's heart tugged as the Doctor pleaded: "Amy, concentrate."

Amy's face drained of color and the Doctor ordered: "Don't you give up."

"Amy!" Lily begged.

"Tell Rory." Amy managed to get out as her head began to sink into the ground.

The Doctor grunted out as he and Lily pulled as hard as they could: "No. Amy!"

"Amy!" Lily screamed as the girl's head slipped under the soil.

"Amy, no!" The Doctor shouted. Amy's head disappeared and there was nothing they could do as the girl's arms were wrenched from their grips and Amy was gone.

"Amy!" Lily screamed, reaching down towards the soil as the Doctor shouted desperately: "No! No! No! No!"

The pair dug at the soil as the Doctor continued to scream: "No. No!"

"Amy!" Lily continued to cry, tears of desperation starting to well in her eyes as the Doctor stood up and tried to sonic the ground, desperately trying to reach the redheaded girl. The room finally went quiet as the shaking stopped when the drill died down at last.

"Amy!" Lily screamed, pounding the ground, as the Doctor lowered his sonic numbly.

Nasreen and Tony came running, and Nasreen asked desperately as they stopped: "Where is she?"

Tony's eyes saddened as he spotted Lily's distraught figure. The Doctor replied flatly: "She's gone. The ground took her."

Lily sobbed, barely holding back her tears as she slowly sat back on her knees, and the Doctor bent to pull the brunette into his arms, needing to at least feel her safe in his arms. And Nasreen and Tony bowed their heads in sympathy while the two time travelers sat in numb silence for a long time.

* * *

Several minutes, or maybe an hour later, Lily and the Doctor finally stood up, the Doctor keeping an arm around Lily protectively while he fell into thought while Lily turned to look back at Nasreen and Tony.

Nasreen was staring at her computer screens but Tony caught her eye, and he finally asked: "Is that what happened to Mo?"

He indicated the ground and he asked worriedly: "Are they dead?"

The Doctor shook his head as he said thoughtfully: "It's not quicksand. She didn't just sink. Something pulled her in. It wanted her."

Nasreen had turned to face them and she asked incredulously: "The ground wanted her?"

The Doctor let Lily go, pacing a little although he stayed close to Lily. He thought aloud: "You said the ground was dormant. Just a patch of earth, when you first saw it this morning. And the drill had been stopped."

"That's right." Tony said, and the Doctor paused.

"But when you re-started the drill, the ground fought back." He said slowly.

"So what," Nasreen scoffed, "the ground wants to stop us drilling? Doctor, that is ridiculous."

He suddenly darted forward, sonicing the soil once more. They watched apprehensively as the soil shook a little, as though it was rumbling. The Doctor replied as he checked the readings on his sonic: "I'm not saying that, and it's not ridiculous, I just don't think it's right. Oh, of course."

He suddenly broke off almost laughing in disbelief as he sighed: "It's bio-programming."

Nasreen threw her hands up in the air, clearly thinking the man was a lunatic as she asked: "What?"

"Bio-programming." The Doctor repeated as he stood up, clapping his hands once in triumph.

"Oh, it's clever." He said a little admiringly and Lily glared at him.

"Doctor." She warned and he glanced at her before he continued hastily: "You use bio-signals to resonate the internal molecular structure of natural objects. It's mainly used in engineering and construction, mostly jungle planets, but that's way in the future and not here."

He said dismissively and Nasreen's mouth fell open. The Doctor didn't seem to notice as he mused: "What's it doing here?"

"More like why here? It can't just be coincidence." Lily pointed out and he pursed his lips.

"Sorry," Nasreen interjected incredulously, "did you just say jungle planets?"

"You're not making any sense, man." Tony added.

"Wrong thing to say." Lily muttered as the Doctor retorted: "Excuse me, I'm making perfect sense. You're just not keeping up."

Nasreen's mouth fell open and she shared an indignant look with Tony. She folded her arms defiantly as the Doctor continued: "The earth, the ground beneath our feet, was bio-programmed to attack."

"Yeah," Nasreen said in exasperation, "even if that were possible, which, by the way, it's not," Lily wrinkled her nose, "why?"

"Stop you drilling." The Doctor replied flatly and quickly. "Okay, so we find whatever's doing the bio-programming, we can find Amy. We can get her back. Shush, shush, shush."

He suddenly hushed them and Lily frowned as he asked: "Have I gone mad? I've gone mad."

"Doctor-" Nasreen began, looking completely fed up but the Doctor hushed her again urgently as he said: "Shush, shush. Silence. Absolute silence."

Nasreen and Tony scoffed but obeyed while Lily cocked her head curiously. The Doctor stepped forward, closer to Nasreen and Tony as he listened intently.

"You've stopped the drill, right?" He checked and Nasreen confirmed slowly: "Yes."

The Doctor paused, and then asked: "And you've only got the one drill?"

"Yes." Nasreen replied flatly.

"You're sure about that?" The Doctor asked and Lily had a bad feeling about this.

"Yes." Tony replied, looking annoyed.

Lily stepped in, asking quietly: "Doctor, what is it?"

The Doctor turned and came back to her side, getting down and laying his ear against the ground.

"So, if you shut the drill down," he began and Lily's heart sank, "why can I still hear drilling?" He finished darkly.

Nasreen and Tony exchanged concerned looks while Lily moaned: "Why is it I'm never wrong when I have a bad feeling about something?"

"Because you're clever and your mind knows how to explain what you observe." The Doctor replied and Lily retorted: "It was a rhetorical question."

She and the other two humans in the room also leaned down closer to the ground, listening intently. And now, even they could hear the faint buzzing sound coming from the earth.

"It's under the ground." The Doctor murmured as he listened intently, and Tony breathed: "That's not possible."

The Doctor quickly jumped to his feet, dashing to the computer and sonicing it.

"Oh no, what, what are you doing?" Nasreen cried as she dashed over in alarm.

The Doctor replied nonchalantly as he tucked his sonic back into his jacket: "Hacking into your records. Probe reports, samples, sensors. Good. Just unite the data, make it all one big conversation. Let's have a look."

He began to type at the computers as they showed various data tabs. He indicated a mapped model, as he spoke quickly: "So, we are here and this is your drill hole. Twenty one point zero zero nine kilometres."

He sounded surprised and impressed. He looked at them and congratulated appreciatively: "Well done."

Lily had to grin as Nasreen looked surprised and just a little pleased.

"Thank you. It's taken us a long time." She replied, and the Doctor asked curiously: "Why here, though? Why'd you drill on this site?"

He indicated the screen and Nasreen explained: "We found patches of grass in this area, containing trace minerals unseen in this country for twenty million years."

"The blue grass?" The Doctor asked as he realized.

Lily's eyes were wide too as the Doctor said: "Oh, Nasreen. Lily was right, it's not a coincidence."

Nasreen glanced at the girl, who just sighed as the Doctor explained: "Those trace minerals weren't X marking the spot, saying 'dig here'. They were a warning. 'Stay away'."

Nasreen was looking confused, but also faintly alarmed as the impact of his words settled in. She looked back at the screens as the Doctor said slowly: "Because while you've been drilling down," Nasreen glanced back at him apprehensively, "somebody else has been drilling up."

He tapped the computer and the map expanded to show a deep sensor reading showing not just the drill hole but the many other drilled tunnels around it, coming up from deep below the earth, matching the patterns of the holes that had appeared in the warehouse.

"Oh, beautiful." The Doctor murmured appreciatively as he examined the diagram. "Network of tunnels all the way down."

"No, no," Tony protested, "we've surveyed that area."

He pointed at the bottom, where the drill had stopped, and Lily murmured: "You only saw what you went looking for."

"What are they?" Nasreen asked as she pointed at three beeping dots that had appeared at the very bottom of the diagram, in a line directly inside one of the tunnels, and the Doctor murmured: "Heat signals."

"They're green and red though." Lily murmured worriedly, and the Doctor frowned as he agreed, reading the sensor: "Dual readings, hot and cold, doesn't make sense… And now they're moving." He said, his eyes widening as the beeping lights began to move upwards.

The Doctor added: "Fast. How many people live nearby?" He asked urgently, and Tony replied worriedly: "Just my daughter and her family. The rest of the staff travel in."

The Doctor indicated the computers and ordered: "Grab this equipment and follow me."

He grabbed Lily's hand, starting to move out but they stopped as Nasreen asked: "Why? What're we doing?"

The Doctor turned sharply as he explained: "That noise isn't a drill, it's transport. Three of them, thirty kilometres down."

He let go of Lily's hand, walking back to the computer where the beeping was becoming faster and he added: "Rate of speed looks about a hundred and fifty kilometres an hour. Should be here in oooh"

He shut the computer as he finished blankly: "Quite soon."

He stared into space for a second, quickly doing the math and said flatly: "Twelve minutes."

He grabbed the computer and headed back to where Lily was standing anxiously as he called back to Nasreen: "Whatever bio-programmed the Earth is on its way up, now."

He grabbed Lily's hand as he walked out the warehouse. Nasreen and Tony moved quickly, grabbing their equipment as the Doctor quickly made his way outside, heading back towards the Tardis.

"How can something be coming up when there's only the Earth's crust down there?" Tony asked as he caught up.

"You saw the readings." The Doctor retorted and Nasreen asked as she followed behind them: "Who are you, anyway? How can you know all this?"

They all paused as there was a flash of slow red lighting in the sky. Nasreen said in awe: "Whoa, did you see that?"

There was another flash, but it looked strangely like…

"No, no, no." The Doctor murmured anxiously. He pulled out a catapult from his jacket as Lily bent down before handing him a rock off the ground. He quickly fired it at the sky, and they watched as it hit an invisible wall and vaporized.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic, pointing it at the sky as he explained shortly: "Energy signal originating from under the Earth. We're trapped."

The sonic's power showed the energy field, a large red dome that enclosed the whole area and threw them momentarily in a red-tinted glow.

Rory suddenly appeared from around the nearby house, followed by a woman and a young boy. He called urgently: "Doctor, something weird's going on here, the graves are eating people."

"What?" Lily asked as she stared at him, but the Doctor dismissed, too focused on the energy field: "Not now, Rory. Energy barricade, invisible to the naked eye. We can't get out and no one from the outside world can get in."

"What?" Rory asked in shock.

"Okay, what about the Tardis?" He suggested and Nasreen stared at him, asking incredulously: "The what?"

The Doctor meanwhile answered: "Er, no. Those energy patterns would play havoc with the circuits. With a bit of time, maybe, but we've only got," he checked his watch,"nine and a half minutes."

He lowered his sonic and the energy field disappeared. Rory checked his watch too, and asked apprehensively: "Nine and a half minutes to what?"

"We're trapped," Nasreen explained, "and something's burrowing towards the surface."

The Doctor's face was grim as he tucked away his sonic while Rory looked around.

"Where's Amy?" He asked and Lily looked guilty.

"Er…" She began but the Doctor interrupted as he said evasively: "Get everyone inside the church."

He grabbed the computer again as Rory's face became horrified.

"Lily?" He asked and the girl's face was a mix of guilt and sorrow. The Doctor cut in as he grabbed Lily's hand: "Rory, I'll get her back."

He pulled Lily with him as he walked quickly past Rory towards the church, and Rory demanded as he turned to them: "What do you mean, 'get her back'? Where's she gone?"

"She was taken." The Doctor admitted.

He gently pushed Lily towards the church, shaking his head at her when she hesitated. She took the hint and grabbed the computer off him, heading inside as the Doctor turned to Rory and told him: "Into the Earth."

"How?" Rory asked as he stood frozen in horror.

He stared at the Doctor and asked in a mix of anger and accusation: "Why didn't you stop it?"

"I tried." The Doctor replied firmly, trying to make him understand. "I promise, I tried."

"Well, you should've tried harder!" Rory snapped, furious and the Doctor began: "Rory-"

"How come Lily's still safe? Hm? You could save Lily but not Amy?" Rory retorted angrily and the Doctor gripped the other man's shoulders as he said firmly: "I'll find Amy. I'll keep you _all_ safe, I promise."

Rory threw up his hands in frustration, but the Doctor said pleadingly: "Come on, please. I need you alongside me."

Rory stared at the other man wordlessly, and the Doctor stared at him seriously for a moment longer before heading for the church. Rory glanced back at the mining facility, but followed the Doctor into the church determinedly.


	24. 8-2 Going Down

Lily P.O.V.

Lily hurried after the others as they stopped outside the church door where Tony was trying to open the stiff door. The woman, whom Lily had learnt was called Ambrose, asked as she and Lily came up behind the others: "Where's Mo? Is he with you?"

Tony glanced back at her guiltily before muttering evasively: "This flaming door. Always sticking. I thought you were having it fixed."

Lily's heart sank- his evasiveness and guilty aura was similar to how she felt around Rory. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this Mo was important to Ambrose.

"Dad!" Ambrose snapped, and her son, little Elliot asked sadly: "Something's happened to him, hasn't it?"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor was setting up all the equipment inside the church as Nasreen and Lily helped him. Rory was standing in the corner, arms folded and frowning, while Tony and Elliot stood on the other side, the older man looking guilty and the boy worried as Ambrose paced.

Ambrose finally stopped moving and turned to them as she said in a mix of irritation and worry: "So we can't get out, we can't contact anyone, and something, the something that took my husband," she added pointedly, "is coming up through the Earth."

The Doctor suppressed his own irritation as he replied walking up to the family: "Yes. If we move quickly enough, we can be ready."

"No, stop." Ambrose snarled. She pointed a finger at him and he turned away, annoyed, as she snapped: "This has gone far enough. What is this?"

"He's telling the truth, love." Tony told her seriously as he moved to help them set the equipment up.

The Doctor sent Lily an irritated look that she answered as Ambrose cried: "Come on. It's not the first time we've had no mobile or phone signals. Reception's always rubbish." She sputtered.

Nasreen said flatly, exasperated: "Look, Ambrose. We saw the Doctor's friend get taken, okay? You saw the lightning in the sky. I have seen the impossible today," she admitted with an incredulous laugh, "and the only person who's made any sense of it for me, is the Doctor."

She jerked her hand at him and Ambrose's face fell.

"Him?" She asked and the Doctor agreed as he turned to her: "Me."

He bent down to take the cord to the power socket when the boy asked desperately: "Can you get my dad back?"

They all stopped, turning to look at the boy as he looked at the Doctor pleadingly. The Doctor glanced at Lily to see her looking at the boy sadly. Sensing his gaze she turned to him and they shared a look of determination. As everyone turned to look at the Doctor, he said firmly: "Yes."

The boy nodded, satisfied, and the Doctor added as he turned to the boy's mother, addressing mostly her as he said: "But I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say from this second onwards, because we're running out of time."

He stopped before her, waiting. She stared at him, and glanced at Lily. The Doctor didn't look away from the woman, but she must've seen something in Lily that made up her mind. Ambrose looked at the Doctor once more as she whispered firmly: "So tell us what to do."

"Thank you." The Doctor told her. He checked his watch and muttered: "We have eight minutes to set up a line of defense. Bring me every phone, every camera, every piece of recording or transmitting equipment you can find."

He turned back to the computers, saying to Lily urgently: "Can you set this up?"

"Consider it done." She told him firmly. He nodded, kissing her forehead once before he took Rory, Tony, and Ambrose with him to set up sensors around the whole area.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

All the equipment was set up, and Lily was monitoring the sensors and the approaching dots as the Doctor returned, announcing: "Right, guys, we need to be ready for whatever's coming up."

He turned to Elliot as he added: "I need a map of the village marking where the cameras are going."

"I can't do the words. I'm dyslexic." The boy told him and Lily glanced over, but the Doctor just replied: "Oh, that's all right, I can't make a decent meringue."

Lily smiled a little as the boy smiled at that. The Doctor grinned back at the boy as he told him confidently: "Draw like your life depends on it, Elliot."

The boy smiled and he ran off to do as he was told. The Doctor glanced at Lily and she told him: "Six minutes forty."

He nodded, but paused as she added: "And I'm proud of you."

He glanced back at her as she nodded after the boy. The Doctor grinned at her before he ran off to set up final preparations. Tony, Ambrose and Nasreen joined Lily at the computers as the time ticked on, each of them taking over one of the duties. Lily watched the sensors as Tony and Ambrose activated all the cameras, watching those.

"Works in quadrants." Tony informed the Doctor. "Every movement sensor and trip light we've got. If anything moves, we'll know."

"Good lad." The Doctor replied as he clapped a hand on the man's shoulder. Tony paused, looking after the Doctor strangely and sharing a look with Nasreen. Lily knew how they felt- it was always odd when the Doctor treated them all like children, no matter how old or young. After all, to him they were children. But it was still disconcerting when the twenty-something year old looking man acted like the 907 year old that he really was.

At three and a half minutes, the Doctor returned to Lily's side, checking the sensors. Elliot ran up, holding up his map. Lily was surprised at the amount of detail the boy had managed to include and the Doctor said proudly as he took the map from the boy: "Look at that. Perfect."

The boy beamed, but the Doctor wasn't finished.

"Dyslexia never stopped Da Vinci or Einstein. It's not stopping you." He told the boy.

He smiled and Lily's eyes softened. As the Doctor turned back to the computers, Elliot piped up: "I don't understand what you're going to do."

"Two phase plan." The Doctor explained. "First, the sensors and cameras will tell us when something arrives. Second, if something does arrive, I use this," he pulled out his sonic, "to send a sonic pulse through that network of devices. A pulse which would temporarily incapacitate most things in the universe."

"Knock 'em out. Cool." Elliot marveled and the Doctor glanced at him.

He moved to the security cameras as he commented: "Lovely place to grow up round here."

"Suppose." Elliot replied. "I want to live in a city one day. Soon as I'm old enough, I'll be off."

"I was the same where I grew up." The Doctor mused, and Lily glanced at him in surprise. He rarely talked about his past.

"Did you get away?" Elliot asked curiously and the Doctor replied lightly: "Yeah."

"Do you ever miss it?" Elliot asked, and the Doctor paused.

He turned to the boy slowly as he answered softly: "So much."

Lily's eyes saddened, and as Elliot glanced at her, she gave him a small smile and a shake of her head. The boy understood and changed subjects, asking: "Is it monsters coming?"

The Doctor paused again to look at the boy, who asked, sounding a little afraid: "Have you met monsters before?"

The Doctor walked back over to the boy, replying: "Yeah."

"You scared of them?" Elliot asked, and the Doctor replied seriously: "No, they're scared of me."

Elliot looked at the Doctor a little pensively, and then asked him seriously: "Will you really get my dad back?"

"No question." The Doctor promised.

He turned back to the computers, while Elliot looked down at himself and realized: "I left my headphones at home."

The Doctor nodded vaguely, still staring at the computer screen as he focused once more; there was only one minute left. Elliot ran outside, looking for his headphones, and Lily watched him go with a frown.

There wasn't much time… Lily glanced at the Doctor, before coming to a decision. She slipped quietly away, following Elliot as she worried about him going outside alone.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The skies had turned dark, and it was almost dark enough to be night as the Doctor returned with Ambrose and Rory from setting up the final sensor array. Ambrose shoved against the door, saying urgently: "I can't open it. It keeps sticking. The wood's warped."

"Any time you want to help." The Doctor called to Rory as he pushed the door with Ambrose while the human male waited behind them.

"Can't you sonic it?" Rory asked from behind, still petulant about losing Amy.

"It doesn't do wood." The Doctor explained, and Rory said flatly: "That is rubbish."

"Oi, don't diss the sonic." The Doctor scolded.

Rory raised his brows but moved to help, and together the three of them managed to heave the door open. As they made their way into the church, slamming the door behind them, the ground began to shake violently.

The Doctor hurried over to the computers instantly, saying to Tony and Nasreen: "See if we can get a fix."

There was something wrong, something missing that he was aware of in the back of his mind, but he was distracted as the lightbulbs exploded. The group all froze as the computers shut down and the room was thrown into darkness.

"No power." Tony muttered and the Doctor replied: "It's deliberate."

"What do we do now?" Rory asked and the Doctor snapped as he paced, his mind working frantically: "Nothing. We've got nothing. They sent an energy surge to wreck our systems."

"Is everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?" Rory asked as he turned to the group and Nasreen called back: "I'm fine."

"Me too." Ambrose while Tony mumbled something incoherent. Rory frowned, but they were all startled as there was a large rumble from outside and the ground shook violently once more.

"Doctor, what was that?" Rory asked.

The Doctor pressed his ear to the ground as Tony murmured: "It's like the holes at the drill station."

"Is this how they happened?" Ambrose asked.

"It's coming through the final layer of Earth." The Doctor murmured.

"What is?" Nasreen asked, when suddenly everything went quiet and still again.

The Doctor frowned- shouldn't Lily have said something by now? He jumped up, looking around frantically as Tony murmured: "The banging's stopped."

The Doctor whirled around, trying to keep calm as he looked around in the dark; but he knew in his hearts of hearts that it was her presence he'd been missing. The Doctor slowly began to panic as he confirmed that he couldn't see the familiar dark head, while Ambrose suddenly asked in alarm: "Where's Elliot? Has anyone seen Elliot?"

They all turned around, and Rory asked as he suddenly also realized what was wrong: "Hang on, where's Lily?"

"Did he come in?" Ambrose cried in fright. "Was he in when the door was shut?"

The Doctor's hearts sank as he remembered...

"Who counted him back in?" Ambrose continued, her voice going shrill with anxiety. "Who saw him last?"

"I did." The Doctor whispered and everyone turned to him.

"Where is he?" Ambrose demanded.

"He said he was going to get headphones." The Doctor answered slowly, his hearts sinking, and Ambrose shrieked: "And you let him go? He was out there on his own?"

But the Doctor shook his head, his face pale and drawn.

"No." The Doctor said numbly and Rory's mouth fell open in shock as the Doctor explained with horror: "I think Lily's out there with him."

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

"Come on, Elliot!" Lily urged the boy worriedly. She'd tried to get him back inside, but he'd been adamant about his headphones. Knowing they probably helped him through his insecurities with his dyslexia, she'd followed him helplessly in the end, simply urging him to hurry.

But it had been too long, and now it was too late. The skies had darkened as they left his house and now the whole place was thrown into pitch black darkness as the pair ran quickly back for the church.

"Elliot, come on!" Lily called, when suddenly they caught a flicker of movement from behind. They froze, whipping around to look back but there was nothing in sight.

"Run." She whispered, and when the boy didn't move Lily cried: "Elliot, run!"

They ran, as something hissed from behind them. They glanced back and this time saw the outline of something almost humanoid except for its head. Although Lily couldn't see it clearly in the dark, it looked almost like a reptilian lizard's head.

"Run!" She screamed, and the pair tore through the graveyard, running for the church doors.

"Elliot, run!" Lily yelled as the figure got closer. He ran for the door, as Lily kept a wary watch on whatever was stalking them. She backed more slowly towards the church, determined to protect Elliot.

He had reached the doors by then and was banging on the church doors as he cried: "Mum! Grandpa Tony! Let me in!"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

They all whipped around as the boy shouted in a panicked voice and Ambrose cried as she ran for the door: "Elliot!"

The Doctor ran after her as the boy's voice cried: "Let me in."

"He's out there. Help me!" Ambrose shouted as Tony and Rory hurried over as well as the boy begged: "Open the door! Mum!"

The Doctor shouted as they all pulled on the door: "Elliot, is Lily with you? Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she's here, but there's something out here!" The boy cried.

 **"** Push, Elliot." Ambrose cried desperately, as they tugged on the doors desperately. The boy tried, they could hear him banging on the doors but the wood was sealed tightly and the door didn't even budge.

"Elliot, hurry!" They heard Lily's voice cry suddenly from the other side, and the Doctor called sharply: "Lily?"

"Doctor!" Lily cried, and he tugged on the doors desperately while Ambrose cried: "Push, Elliot. Give it a shove."

"Mum. Hurry up." Elliot cried in fear, just as Lily screamed: "Elliot, run!"

"Lily!" The Doctor shouted, and she called back: "Doctor-!"

She cut off abruptly, just as Elliot cried: "Mum!"

"Lily!" The Doctor shouted while Ambrose cried: "Elliot!"

"Come on!" Tony grunted, and at last he and the Doctor managed to tug the door open.

The Doctor ran out as soon as the doors were open, but the porch was empty once more with neither Lily nor Elliot in sight. The Doctor stilled, unable to bring himself to terms with what his eyes and common sense were telling him, while Ambrose called desperately: "Elliot! Where is he? He was here."

The Doctor was staring around, breathing heavily, and Rory glanced at him nervously while Ambrose whimpered: "He was here."

When no-one responded, she screamed at the top of her lungs: "Elliot!"

Ambrose ran off, searching for her son, and the Doctor was broken from his own stunned trance as he called sharply: "Ambrose, don't go running off!"

"Ambrose!" Tony shouted as he ran after his daughter.

Rory grabbed the Doctor as he was about to follow, asking urgently: "Doctor, what about Lily?"

"She's gone." He replied shortly, as though it was obvious and Rory asked intently: "Are you alright?"

"I will be when I've put an end to this." The Doctor replied darkly. Rory let him go and he ran after Ambrose and Tony, Rory following after a moment's hesitation.

He found Ambrose and Tony, as Ambrose shouted: "Dad!"

He ran towards them, shouting: "What happened?"

"My dad's hurt." Ambrose cried and the Doctor grabbed them, urging: "Get him into the church now."

He quickly turned to see if he could spot the attacker as Ambrose cried brokenly: "Elliot's gone. They've killed him, haven't they?"

He turned to her and told her honestly: "I don't think so. They've taken four people when they could've just killed them up here. There's still hope, Ambrose. There is always hope." He finished softly, and the woman sobbed: "Then why have they taken him?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted, but he added seriously: "I'll find Elliot, I promise. But first I've got to stop this attack. Please, get inside the church."

"Ambrose." Tony said, as he glanced at the Doctor sympathetically despite his own pain.

The woman turned to her father, murmuring as she helped him: "Come on, Dad."

As the pair headed back for the church, Rory turned to the Doctor, asking him seriously: "So what now?"

* * *

The Doctor headed back out alone into the trees. He pulled on a pair of infra-red glasses, walking around slowly. He spotted a dark shape moving through the bushes, not appearing on his sensors. He slowly removed his glasses as he confirmed his theory.

"Cold blood." He murmured. "I know who they are."

He headed back to the van, whistling and standing as easy bait while he carefully picked up the fire extinguisher. He heard a hiss from behind but didn't turn, watching the creature approach in the tinted van windows.

Right before it could pounce, he whipped around, spraying it with the fire extinguisher. It screamed, and Rory burst out of the back of the van, charging it. He and the Doctor grabbed the creature, bundling it up and tossing it into the back of the van.

The Doctor locked the van, and he and Rory grinned at each other as the thing hissed and writhed, kicking up a fuss as it was trapped.

"We got it." Rory crowed.

"Defending the planet with meals on wheels." The Doctor joked. They raised their hands for a high-five but both of them whipped around as there was another loud rumble.

"What was that?" Rory asked apprehensively and the Doctor murmured: "Sounds like they're leaving."

"Without this one?" Rory asked as he jerked a thumb at the van.

The dark cloud disappeared as the energy dome shut down and Rory noted smugly: "Looks like we scared them off."

"I don't think so." The Doctor replied.

Rory looked surprised, but his face fell as the Doctor murmured darkly: "Now both sides have hostages."

* * *

"So, I think I've met these creatures before." The Doctor told Rory quickly as they headed towards the crypt. "Different branch of the species, mind, but all the same. Let's see if our friend's thawed out."

As they walked in, Rory asked worriedly: "Are you sure? By yourself?"

"Very sure." The Doctor replied confidently, and Rory whispered as they stared down into the dimly lit crypt: "But the sting?"

The Doctor murmured back: "Venom gland takes at least twenty four hours to recharge. Am I right?" He added, calling into the crypt and he was answered by a low hiss.

The Doctor turned to Rory and told him confidently: "I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine."

Rory left unwillingly, and the Doctor walked in slowly. Their prisoner finally moved out of the shadows in the corner, her chains rattling at her movements. As she moved into the light, he could see the clearly humanoid body, but also the scaly green skin.

The creature's face was covered by a grey mask with large black eyepieces, also distinctly reptilian. The Doctor said softly as he approached: "I'm the Doctor. I've come to talk."

He walked over slowly, carefully and raised his hands to show he was unarmed as he told the creature gently: "I'm going to remove your mask."

He slowly removed the mask as she watched him warily, revealing a human-like face except for the lizard-like shaped head and the same green scaly skin. The Doctor was impressed as he breathed with a smile: "You are beautiful."

She watched him carefully as he continued: "Remnant of a bygone age on planet Earth. And by the way, lovely mode of travel. Geothermal currents projecting you up through a network of tunnels."

He kissed his fingers as he said appreciatively: "Gorgeous. Mind if I sit?"

He moved back a little, taking a seat before her as he said more seriously: "Now. Your people have two friends of mine. I want them, and the other humans, back."

He leveled a stern glare at the alien as he asked her: "Why did you come to the surface?"

When she didn't reply, he tried: "What do you want?"

Again there was no response and he sighed, muttering: "Oh, I do hate a monologue. Give us a bit back. How many are you?"

The alien finally spoke, saying defiantly: "I'm the last of my species."

"Really?" The Doctor said flatly, before he cocked an eyebrow in amusement as he noted: "No. 'Last of the species'. The Klempari Defence. As an interrogation defense, it's a bit old hat, I'm afraid."

"I'm the last of my species." She insisted and the Doctor replied pointedly: "No. You're really not."

His eyes and tone went cold, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as the Doctor stated warningly: "Because I'm the last of my species and I know how it sits in a heart. So don't insult me."

The alien leaned back, knowing when she was defeated, and the Doctor relaxed.

"Let's start again." He said more gently.

"Tell me your name." He offered, and she replied at last: "Alaya."

"How long has your tribe been sleeping under the Earth, Alaya?" The Doctor asked.

She stared at him, a hint of surprise on her mostly unreadable face and the Doctor answered the silent question: "It's not difficult to work out. You're three hundred million years out of your comfort zone."

He paused, and wondered: "Question is, what woke you now?"

"We were attacked." Alaya spat and the Doctor realized: "The drill."

"Our sensors detected a threat to our life support systems." Alaya growled. "The warrior class was activated to prevent the assault. We will wipe the vermin from the surface and reclaim our planet."

"Do we have to say 'vermin'?" The Doctor complained. "They're really very nice."

"Primitive apes." She spat back, and the Doctor countered: "Extraordinary species. You attack them, they'll fight back. But," he emphasized, "there's a peace to be brokered here. I can help you with that."

"This land is ours." She argued. "We lived here long before the apes."

"Doesn't give you automatic rights to it now, I'm afraid." The Doctor replied. "Humans won't give up the planet."

"So we destroy them." Alaya retorted and the Doctor countered: "You underestimate them."

"You underestimate us." She hissed and the Doctor pointed out: "One tribe of homo reptilia against six billion humans? You've got your work cut out."

Alaya stood up as she snarled defiantly: "We did not initiate combat, but we can still win."

The Doctor just looked at her, keeping calm as he said coolly: "Tell me where my friends are."

Alaya bristled, but the Doctor continued firmly: "Give us back the people who were taken."

"No." Alaya replied flatly. The pair stared at each other for a moment, Alaya defiant and the Doctor determined.

The Doctor warned as he stood up at last: "I'm not going let you provoke a war, Alaya. There'll be no battle here today."

He turned to go, when Alaya retorted: "The fire of war is already lit. A massacre is due."

The Doctor turned back to her, his gaze determined as he replied firmly: "Not while I'm here."

"I'll gladly die for my cause. What will you sacrifice for yours?" She asked contemptuously.

The Doctor's lips curved into a mirthless smile at that but he didn't respond as he simply turned and walked away, thinking grimly: ' _I've already had to sacrifice what's most important to me,_ _Alaya. And I_ will _get her back; without starting a war._ '

* * *

"You're going to what?" Rory asked in disbelief and the Doctor repeated: "I'm going to go down below the surface, to find the rest of the tribe, to talk to them."

They were sitting in a circle inside the church, and each of the humans was looking skeptical to some degree. Ambrose asked incredulously: "You're going to negotiate with these aliens?"

"They're not aliens." The Doctor corrected. "They're 'Earth-liens'."

He explained: "Once known as the Silurian race," Nasreen looked surprised as she listened with interest, "or, some would argue, Eocenes, or Homo Reptilia. Not monsters, not evil. Well, only as evil as you are."

He corrected as he stood up, and continued, trying to make them understand: "The previous owners of the planet, that's all. Look, from their point of view, you're the invaders. Your drill," he nodded at Nasreen and Tony, "was threatening their settlement."

Tony nodded, looking contrite. The Doctor said sternly: "Now, the creature in the crypt."

He turned to look at each of them warningly as he contined: "Her name's Alaya. She's one of their warriors, and she's my best bargaining chip. I need her alive."

He looked directly at Ambrose as he continued: "If she lives, so do Elliot and Mo and Amy," he turned back to the room at large, "and Lily, because I will find them."

Rory nodded in understanding while Nasreen and Tony looked pensive. The Doctor said sternly: "While I'm gone, you four people, in this church, in this corner of planet Earth, you have to be the best of humanity."

He finished firmly, and Tony piped up: "And what if they come back?"

The Doctor turned to look at him as Tony demanded: "Shouldn't we be examining this creature? Dissecting it, finding its weak points?"

"No dissecting," the Doctor interrupted firmly, "no examining. We return their hostage, they return ours, nobody gets harmed."

He turned to the group, trying to make them understand as he said sharply: "We can land this together," Nasreen smiled, "if you are the best you can be."

Tony sighed but it was in understanding.

"You are decent, brilliant people."

Nasreen looked at him proudly.

"Nobody dies today."

Rory nodded.

"Understand?"

The Doctor finished and Ambrose nodded too at last. Nasreen applauded his speech, although she stopped sheepishly when they all looked at her strangely. But even then, she looked moved, proud and determined.

* * *

The Doctor walked to the Tardis before he finally glanced behind his shoulder, snapping: "No, sorry, no. What are you doing?"

He stopped before the Tardis doors, whirling on the woman he'd known was following him, and Nasreen answered as though it was obvious - which it really was: "Coming with you, of course."

She looked at the Tardis and asked curiously: "What is it, some kind of transport pod?"

"Sort of," the Doctor replied with a puzzled frown, "but you're not," he glanced over as he heard more footsteps, "coming with me."

He finished, looking at the woman, while Tony said firmly as he came up beside them as well: "He's right. You're not."

The Doctor raised a brow, noting from the man's tone that he loved the woman, while Nasreen said firmly: "I have spent all my life excavating the layers of this planet, and now you," she jabbed the Doctor, "want me to stand back while you head down into it? I don't think so."

The Doctor checked his watch and then snapped at her: "I don't have time to argue."

"Exactly - I thought we were in a rush. You've got to save your girl. And your friend." Nasreen replied lightly.

The Doctor groaned internally, and he warned for the final time: "It'll be dangerous."

"Oh, so's crossing the road." Nasreen retorted and the Doctor groaned: "Oh, for goodness sake. All right, then. Come on."

He walked into the Tardis exasperated, and Nasreen followed after a brief moment. She immediately screeched to a halt in the doorway, her jaw dropping, while the Doctor said indifferently: "Welcome aboard the Tardis. Now, don't touch anything. Very precious."

He pulled a lever as Nasreen walked up, saying in awe: "No way. But, but that's," the Doctor glanced up, unable to help but enjoy her surprise and excitement for a moment as she laughed, "this is fantastic. What does it do?"

"Everything." He replied lightly, and then he explained: "I'm hoping, if we're going down, that barricade won't interfere."

They were knocked off their feet as the Tardis jerked, and they hung onto the console to try and stay upright. He yelled: "Did you touch something?"

"No. Isn't this what it does?" Nasreen shouted back as the Tardis continued to shake and the Doctor cried, running around the console: "I'm not doing anything. We've been hijacked. I can't stop it. They must've sensed the electro-magnetic field."

He reached the monitor, and checked it. His mouth fell open and he murmured: "They're pulling the Tardis down into the Earth."

The Tardis jerked to a stop, throwing the pair to the ground. As they groaned, and the Doctor lay on his back, Nasreen smacked him on the stomach.

"Oi." He said but she just asked: "Where are we?"

He grinned and jumped to his feet, dashing to the doors as she followed. He peered out into the tunnel they'd fallen into and he whistled as he admired the place while Nasreen looked around in awe.

He commented: "Looks like we fell through the bottom of their tunnel system. Don't suppose it was designed for handling something like this."

He gestured at the Tardis as some loose soil fell down on them and Nasreen asked curiously: "How far down are we?

"Oh, a lot more than twenty one kilometres." The Doctor replied lightly and Nasreen asked, her eyes narrowing in thought: "So why aren't we burning alive?"

The Doctor frowned as he realized she was right. He admitted: "I don't know. Interesting, isn't it?"

He grinned and she smiled back.

"It's like this is everyday to you." Nasreen said amusedly as the Doctor walked off down the tunnel and he called back: "Not every day."

He turned to face her as he said with a grin: "Every other day."

Nasreen smiled and said as she followed him down the tunnel: "You must be crazy. How does Lily live with you? If every other day is like this?" She teased and the Doctor grinned again, although it faltered slightly as the worry crept back into his hearts.

But he tried to say lightly: "She's just as crazy."

"Must be, to be a match for you." Nasreen commented, before looking around in awe once more. "So, what're we looking for?"

"We're looking for a small tribal settlement probably housing around a dozen Homo Reptilia?" The Doctor replied. "Maybe less."

Nasreen spotted a side passage and wandered down before stopping as she stared at something.

"One small tribe." She repeated, and the Doctor turned back, going to join her as he replied: "Yeah."

"Maybe a dozen?" She repeated flatly and the Doctor joined her.

"Ah." He said as he looked down at the giant city below them, stretching out through the entire earth's core.

"Maybe more than a dozen." He corrected. "Maybe more like… an entire civilization… living beneath the Earth."

*A/N Bet you guys were surprised Lily was taken after all ;) As if I could resist having the Doctor panic a little...


	25. 9-1 Cold Blood

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor said determinedly as he and Nasreen wandered through the city's passages: "This place is enormous and deserted. The majority of the race are probably still asleep. We need to find Lily and Amy. Looking for heat signature anomalies."

He lifted his sonic and pointed it about as Nasreen asked in awe: "But Doctor, how can all this be here? I mean, these plants."

She indicated the various plant-life that were scattered around and the Doctor replied as they walked through another tunnel-like passage: "Must be getting closer to the centre of the city."

"You're sure this is the best way to enter?" Nasreen asked unsurely and the Doctor replied confidently: "Front door approach. Definitely. Always the best way."

Suddenly a computer called: "Hostile life forms detected area seventeen."

An alarm began to blare and Nasreen turned to look at the Doctor. He added without missing a beat: "Apart from the back door approach. That's also good. Sometimes better."

"Hostile life forms detected area seventeen." The computer repeated and the Doctor muttered: "Mm, I can see what Lily meant that I need to think through my entrances sometimes…"

"Doctor." Nasreen said with forced calm and he turned to see armed Silurian warriors approaching them from the front.

He glanced back to see more warriors coming from behind and as they came closer he lifted his hands in surrender as he said quickly: "We're not hostile. We're not armed. We're here in peace."

Nasreen's eyes were wide as one warrior lifted its gun and sprayed a gas at them, making them cough and fall to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily woke up slowly, groggily. She opened her eyes blearily and shrieked as a lizard-like man dressed in a lab coat stood before her, looking at her curiously. She tugged on her arms, but found herself unable to move as she was strapped to a standing gurney-like structure.

"From her clothes, it appears my diagnosis is right and that female apes are more resistant to the cold than the males." The man commented and Lily sighed.

"I dressed for Rio." She muttered before it suddenly hit her what he meant.

"Wait, say that again. Was there another human girl? Have you seen her? Amy?" She asked urgently.

The scientist looked at her in surprise, when a female warrior snapped from across the lab: "Malohkeh, get on with it. I want the scans on the new prisoners complete."

He nodded, moving far away to a machine control and Lily cried: "Wait, no, what about Amy? And who are the new prisoners?"

"Lily?" A voice asked groggily and she turned her head to see the Doctor strapped into a gurney beside her.

"Doctor?" She gasped and he smiled in relief as he said: "Oh, good, you're alright. I'm here to rescue you."

Lily glanced around at the laboratory they were in, and commented sarcastically: "Yes, I can see that. Good job."

"Working on it, would appreciate less of the sass." The Doctor retorted as the machine beeped and came to life.

"Beginning scan." A computer said as a green scanner light appeared on the Doctor.

"Argh!" The Doctor began to scream in pain, and Lily cried in a panic: "Doctor?"

"Ah!" He yelled and Lily screamed: "Doctor!"

He began to twist and turn violently, and Lily suddenly winced as something dislodged in her mind. She heard a man screaming in agonizing pain, and as she closed her eyes against the pain of the memory, an image flashed in her mind. A tall man with dark brown hair, screaming in pain as he clutched a metal helmet on his head.

Lily wasn't sure why, but the memory made her heart break and a tear fall before she gasped and she was back in the present as the Doctor cried out in pain.

"Doctor!" She gasped, focusing back on him as the scan completed. He couldn't reply as he sagged a little, panting as he tried to shake off the pain.

 _What was that?_ She wondered as she briefly remembered her memory. _Or is it a memory? Who is that man that keeps appearing?_

She broke out of her thoughts as the scientist called: "I'm decontaminating now."

Lily blinked as the Doctor's eyes flew open and he repeated in horror: "Decontamination? No. No!"

Lily saw the scientist look up at him, confused as the Doctor cried: "No-!"

He broke off as he began to scream in pain.

"Doctor!" Lily screamed.

"Agh!" He cried, twitching and jerking violently.

"Stop it, stop it now!" Lily screamed at the scientist, writhing in her restraints.

"So emotional. Disgusting." The female warrior said dismissively as she paced over, stopping before the Doctor and watching him twist in pain.

"Argh!" The Doctor cried and Lily shouted desperately: "Let him go!"

The scientist, Malohkeh, said soothingly: "It's alright, it won't harm you. I'm only neutralising all your ape bacteria."

Lily's eyes widened as she realized what was probably causing the problem, and sure enough the Doctor said frantically: "I'm not an ape. Look at the scans. Two hearts. Totally different. Totally not ape!"

He screamed again in pain as Malohkeh looked up in surprise. The scientist peered down to his scans, verifying the Doctor's words as the Doctor continued frantically: "Remove all human germs, you remove half the things keeping me alive."

He cried out in pain again.

"Please, he really isn't human, please stop it, you're hurting him!" Lily begged as she watched the Doctor scream. Malohkeh turned off the decontamination and Lily sighed in relief as the Doctor's screams died down and he sagged in his restraints, breathing heavily.

"No, complete the process." The female warrior snarled, but Malohkeh didn't respond as he walked slowly towards their general direction.

The Doctor said to the male scientist gratefully: "Oh, that's much better, thanks. Not got any celery, have you?"

The female warrior took a step forward, glaring at him menacingly. Lily shifted uncomfortably as the Doctor rambled: "No. No, not really the climate. Tomatoes, though. You'd do a roaring trade in those. I'm the Doctor. This is Lily."

He jerked his head at Lily, who smiled tightly. The Doctor glanced to his other side where Malohkeh was headed and he added breathlessly: "Oh, and there's Nasreen. Good."

Lily glanced over, peering across the Doctor to see it was indeed Nasreen, also strapped in her spot. She woke up as Malohkeh reversed the gases effect and Lily smiled as Nasreen blinked and said flatly: "Oh, a green man."

The Doctor meanwhile was staring at the warrior and he said in a friendly tone: "Hello. Who are you?"

"Restac," The warrior replied shortly. "Military commander."

"Oh dear, really?" The Doctor replied. "There's always a military, isn't there?"

He turned to Lily who smiled, albeit a little grimly. Nasreen was also smiling a little, but it dropped as Malohkeh told them sharply: "Your weapon was attacking the oxygen pockets above our city."

The Doctor glanced at Nasreen meaningfully, but he said appreciatively: "Oxygen pockets, lovely. Oooh," he added with a wince, "but not so good with an impending drill. Now it makes sense."

Lily nodded with a sigh and Malohkeh looked at them curiously. Restac strode up and demanded of the Doctor: "Where is the rest of your invasion force?"

"Invasion force?" The Doctor repeated with raised brows and a small smile.

"Me and lovely Nasreen?" He nodded at the woman. "No. We came for the humans you took."

He jerked his head at Lily to make his point clear before he continued: "And," he looked between the two Silurians pointedly, "to offer the safe return of Alaya."

Restac twitched and the Doctor breathed as he realized: "Oh wait, you and she, what is it, same genetic source?"

Restac's face remained stoic, but the Doctor knew he was right.

"Of course you're worried, but don't be, she's safe." He assured the female warrior, and Restac replied coldly: "You claim to come in peace, but you hold one of us hostage."

She turned, and waved her hands in an order. Her troops began to move and Lily watched with terror as they approached and the Doctor called hastily: "Wait, wait, we all want the same thing here."

Restac snapped: "I don't negotiate with apes."

"Doctor." Lily murmured, fear gripping her as the troops surrounded each of them.

Restac said darkly to Malohkeh: "I'm going to send a clear message to those on the surface."

"What's that?" The Doctor asked and the pair turned to him.

"Your execution." Restac snarled and Nasreen's head snapped to the Doctor in fear.

"You had to ask." Lily moaned as she stared at the armed soldiers that surrounded them in terror.

"Yes." The Doctor sighed as he glanced at Nasreen and Lily as the three were hauled out of their restraints, only to have their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were also kept under heavy guard as Restac led them away. Lily glanced around the city as they were escorted through several tunnels and corridors. She was surprised to see thick vegetation as they walked closer towards what she assumed as the heart of the city.

As they walked, the Doctor mused quietly: "These must be the only ones awake. The others must still be in hibernation."

Nasreen whispered back: "So, why did they go into hibernation in the first place?"

"The Great Extinction?" Lily suggested, but the Doctor shook his head.

He explained: "Their astronomers predicted the planet heading to Earth on a crash course. They a built life underground and put themselves to sleep for millennia in order to avert what they thought was the apocalypse, when in reality it was the moon coming into alignment with the Earth."

Restac suddenly stopped, turning to them sharply to glare at the Doctor. Malohkeh asked incredulously from behind them: "How can you know that?"

The Doctor realized what he'd said and glanced at Restac warily before replying to Malohkeh: "Long time ago, I met another tribe of Homo Reptilia. Similar, but not identical."

"Others of our species have survived?" Restac asked while Lily looked at him in surprise. But her heart sank as she watched the Doctor lower his eyes, his head bowing a little in sorrow.

"The humans attacked them." He said softly. "They died. I'm sorry."

"What?" Lily gasped but she quickly shut her mouth as Restac snarled, beginning to shake a little in anger. The Doctor shifted slightly so that he was standing in front of Lily as they watched Restac apprehensively.

"A vermin race." The warrior spat furiously. She turned and began to stride forward once more as Nasreen looked after he sadly and Lily glanced up at the Doctor.

He was exchanging a thoughtful look with Malohkeh warily, but he glanced at her when he felt her gaze. His eyes were gentle as he took in her sorrowful eyes, and he took her hand gently as they followed Restac once more.

* * *

As they were led into a magnificent courtroom, Malohkeh hissed at Restac quietly: "You're not authorised to do this."

Lily glanced at the pair in surprise as Restac snapped: "I am authorised to protect the safety of our species while they sleep."

"Oh, lovely place." The Doctor commented as they walked further into the room. "Very gleaming."

Lily had to admit he had a point- it was a beautiful room with a grand mahogany table in the center. But she couldn't really admire the view when things were starting to look more than a little dire.

As she thought that, Restac replied: "This is our court and our place of execution."

 _I knew it._ She thought wryly as the Doctor just leveled a look at Restac. Nasreen glanced at the Doctor, looking a little afraid.

"Let them go."

Lily blinked in surprise as Amy suddenly walked determinedly into the room, pointing one of the Silurian guns at Restac. The Doctor beamed as he said cheerily: "Amy Pond. There's a girl to rely on." He added towards Nasreen and Lily retorted: "Hey."

Nasreen smiled while the Doctor looked at Lily guiltily, muttering: "Oops, sorry."

Amy just grinned at them but said to Restac firmly: "You're covered both ways, so don't try anything clever, buster."

Lily glanced back in surprise and saw a man standing in the doorway, also pointing a Silurian gun at the guards.

"Mo." Nasreen said in relief, and Lily looked between their rescuers as Amy demanded: "Now let them go, or I shoot."

Restac just hissed as she stepped closer to Amy, who looked unnerved. Lily watched in alarm as Amy tried to stay confident, saying: "I'm warning you."

Restac just reached out and disarmed Amy, shoving the girl to the floor as Lily cried: "Amy!"

"Don't you touch her!" The Doctor ordered sharply at the same time, but Restac just spun towards them, now pointing the gun at the group as she growled at Mo: "And you."

Mo grit his teeth but there was nothing he could do as Restac's troops took his gun. Malohkeh said in exasperation: "Alright, Restac, you've made your point."

He looked at her sternly, but Restac just stalked over to him and said flatly: "This is now a military tribunal. Go back to your laboratory, Malohkeh."

He hissed at her but she simply snarled back. He glanced at Amy and then at Lily, before he said to Restac softly: "This isn't the way."

Restac just continued to level a stare at him and he turned away with a sigh, leaving them as Restac ordered the guards: "Prepare them for execution."

Lily sighed but was terrified as they were each led to a pillar on the far side of the court and shoved to stand against them. Amy called over to Lily and the Doctor as they were chained into place, trying to sound brave but her voice was shaking badly as she said: "Okay, sorry. As rescues go, didn't live up to its potential."

"It was a better attempt than him." Lily replied, trying to joke but she was also terrified as she was locked into place beside the Doctor.

The Doctor glanced at her and just managed to take her hand, trying to tell silently that it would okay as he called back to Amy: "I'm glad you're okay, Amy."

The redhead replied: "Me too. Lizard men, though." She added in a mix of wonder and horror, and the Doctor corrected: "Homo Reptilia. They occupied the planet before humans. Now they want it back."

"After they've wiped out the human race." Nareen added, somewhat lightly as she tried to alleviate the tension.

Amy retorted: "Right. Preferred it when I didn't know, to be honest."

They stood apprehensively as the Silurians stood armed and at the ready, pointing their guns at them. Lily swallowed in terror, waiting but none of them move. Nasreen asked confusedly: "Why are they waiting? What do you think they're going to do with us?"

The Doctor frowned, watching them confusedly as well. Their question was answered as a holographic screen popped up on the table as Restac stood before it. She glared at the blank screen menacingly as she called: "Who is the ape leader? Who speaks for the apes?"

Lily could just make out Rory, Tony and Ambrose in the far corner of the room, and she watched terrified as Rory walked over slowly, saying slowly: "I speak for the… humans."

Lily was proud that he refused to call them all apes, although she grimaced as Rory added less confidently: "Some of us, anyway."

"Do you understand who we are?" Restac snarled.

Lily sighed, despite the circumstances as Rory replied: "Sort of. A bit. Not really." He finally admitted, and both Amy and Lily rolled their eyes.

"We have ape hostages." Restac said menacingly.

Lily realized Rory must've not been able to see them until now, because he suddenly leapt forward, closer to the screen as he called to them anxiously: "Doctor! Amy! Lily!"

Ambrose and Tony also darted forward, Ambrose calling desperately: "Mo! Mo, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, love." Mo called back bravely. "I've found Elliot. I'm bringing him home."

Lily glanced at him, startled but glad the boy was safe. Rory was saying in relief: "Amy, I thought I'd lost you."

"What, cause I was sucked into the ground?" Amy replied jokingly. "You're so clingy."

"Tony Mack!" Nasreen called, and Lily realized with a start that the woman loved the old man. Tony grinned as he called back in relief: "Having fun down there?"

Nasreen grinned and the Doctor finally piped up: "Not to interrupt, but just a quick reminder to stay calm."

"Show me Alaya." Restac snarled at that moment.

Lily frowned a little as she saw Ambrose's eyes widen in what looked like alarm… and fear. _Oh, please no_. Lily thought desperately as Restac ordered: "Show me, and release her immediately unharmed, or we kill your friends one by one."

The group were all anxious by this point, and Lily furrowed her brows worriedly as Ambrose snarled: "No."

"Ambrose." Rory warned as the Doctor called, trying to calm them: "Steady now, everyone."

"Ambrose, stop it." Tony ordered, pulling the woman back sharply, and Lily was extremely concerned as the woman wrenched herself out of his grip, hissing: "Get off me, Dad."

The Doctor was already concerned now, as Ambrose turned back to the screen and shouted, her face scrunched with pain and sorrow: "We didn't start this."

"Let Rory deal with this, Ambrose, eh?" The Doctor called, trying to save the situation.

But Ambrose snarled into the screen: "We are not doing what you say any more. Now, give me back my family." She ordered, and Lily closed her eyes, turning her face to the Doctor while the others stared wide-eyed in fear.

"No." Restac replied flatly, as expected. Ambrose's face fell.

"Execute the girl." Restac ordered. She indicated Amy and Lily's eyes widened in fear.

"No!" She cried as Rory shouted desperately: "No! No, wait!"

"Rory!" Amy cried in fear as the Silurian soldiers marched over to grab her, and Lily cried: "No, stop! Take me first, leave her alone!"

"Lily!" The Doctor ordered her to stay silent as Restac glared at them and Rory cried desperately: "She's not speaking for us."

The Doctor addressed Restac urgently: "There's no need for this."

"Get the other girl as well." Restac ordered flatly, and the Doctor snapped: "Restac!"

"Doctor!" Lily called as she was grabbed too, and Rory called desperately: "Listen, listen."

Amy was shoved into the center and she stood in wide-eyed terror as Lily was hauled over too. The Doctor struggled desperately against his chains as Rory shouted: "Whatever you want, we'll do it!"

"Aim." Restac said flatly, Rory shouted: "Amy!"

"Rory!" Amy shouted at the same time Lily cried desperately: "Doctor!"

"Don't do this!" The Doctor shouted as he fought against his chains frantically. The girls squeezed their eyes shut, Lily reaching out to grab Amy's hand tightly as they faced their fate.

"No!" Rory and the Doctor yelled and Restac shouted: "Fire!"

"Stop!" A powerful called from the doorway. Lily peeked out to see a Silurian man walking into the court, wearing a decorated robe that clearly indicated he was the tribe leader. Behind him stood Malohkeh.

Lily and the Doctor watched the man's approach warily as Amy also opened her eyes. The leader asked: "You want to start a war while the rest of us sleep, Restac?"

"The apes are attacking us." Restac replied defensively.

The leader returned firmly: "You're our protector, not our commander, Restac. Unchain them."

"I do not recognise your authority at this time, Eldane." Restac hissed angrily, but Eldane replied coolly: "Well then, you must shoot me."

Restac hissed and Eldane waited with raised brows. She snarled and stormed over to Malohkeh, saying furiously: "You woke him to undermine me."

"We're not monsters." Malohkeh replied softly. His eyes flickered to the group, landing on Lily and then the Doctor as he added calmly: "And neither are they."

"What is it about apes you love so much, hmm?" Restac asked condescendingly and Malohkeh replied gently: "While you slept, they've evolved. I've seen it for myself."

Restac scoffed as she snarled: "We used to hunt apes for sport. When we came underground, they bred and polluted this planet."

"Shush now, Restac." Eldane ordered quietly.

Malohkeh moved to free the group as Eldane dismissed her: "Go and play soldiers. I'll let you know if I need you."

She glared at him and retorted flatly: "You'll need me, then we'll see."

She stalked out, taking her troops with her as Malohkeh freed the Doctor. He hurried quickly over to Lily as the girl stood still, frozen from the after-shock of having narrowly avoided death.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked frantically as he looked over her, his hands flailing wildly in his concern. She slowly turned her head to focus on him, and he breathed in relief as she slowly nodded. Lily released a shaky breath and the Doctor reached out to pull her into his arms.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." He sighed as he kissed the top of her head.

"Mm, I'll try. Not a fan of being almost executed either." She replied half-joking as she finally managed to shake herself out of her fear-induced trance. But her voice cracked just a little at the end and the Doctor hugged her tightly as she breathed deeply, slowly bringing her heart rate down as they clung together, both relieved to be alive.


	26. 9-2 Best of Humanity

Once everyone was freed and caught their breaths in relief, the Doctor called Rory again. Lily grinned as Rory appeared and the Doctor called cheerily: "Rory. Hello."

"Where's Amy?" He demanded quickly and the Doctor gestured back at the redhead.

"She's fine. Look, here, she is." He said reassuringly and Rory breathed: "Oh, thank God."

"Keeping you on your toes." Amy called back cheerily, and the Doctor cut in: "No time to chat."

Lily and Amy walked off to sit at the table as the Doctor instructed Rory: "Listen, you need to get down here. Go to the drill storeroom. There's a large patch of earth in the middle of the floor. The Silurians are going to send up transport discs to bring you back down using geothermal energy and gravity bubble technology. It's how they travel and frankly, it's pretty cool. Bring Alaya. We hand her over, we can land this after all. All going to work, promise. Got to dash. Hurry up."

He ended the call, and he joined them at the table, leaning on it as he commented: "I'd say you've got a fair bit to talk about."

"How so?" Eldane asked. The Silurian sat on one side, the human women on the other, while the Doctor stood at the head of the table with Malohkeh and Mo standing on either side of him.

"You both want the planet." The Doctor replied, pointing out: "You both have a genuine claim to it."

"Are you authorised to negotiate on behalf of humanity?" Eldane asked, and the Doctor replied with a scoff: "Me? No. But they are."

He pointed at the women, who all blinked at him.

"What?" Nasreen asked blankly and Amy said quickly, nervously: "No, we're not."

"Doctor-" Lily protested, but he cut in lightly: "Course you are. Lily Tyler, Amy Pond and Nasreen Chaudhry, speaking for the planet? Humanity couldn't have better ambassadors."

He patted them each on the shoulder, going to stand behind Lily. He placed his hands on her shoulder as he asked teasingly: "Come on, who has more fun than us?"

"Is this what happens, in the future?" Amy leaned over and whispered. "The planet gets shared? Is that what we need to do?"

"Er, what are you talking about?" Nasreen asked with raised brows.

"Oh Nasreen, sorry." The Doctor explained. "Probably worth mentioning at this stage; Lily, Amy and I travel in time… a bit." He added hastily as Nasreen's mouth fell open.

Eldane turned to face the Doctor in shock as Lily grimaced apologetically.

Anything else?" Nasreen asked, folding her arms expectantly, and the Doctor looked at Lily sheepishly before he removed his hands from her shoulders and began to pace, explaining to the group: "There are fixed points through time where things must always stay the way they are."

He turned and continued enthusiastically: "This is not one of them. This is an opportunity. A temporal tipping point. Whatever happens today, will change future events, create its own timeline, its own reality. The future pivots around you," he gestured at each woman, "here, now."

Amy and Nasreen were frozen, whether in awe or shock. Lily was feeling vaguely excited and anxious as the Doctor finished cheerily: "So do good, for humanity, and for Earth."

Eldane watched with a pensive look, while Amy muttered: "Right. No pressure there, then."

"We can't share the planet." Nasreen cried, although softly as her eyes darted at the Silurians. "Nobody on the surface is going to go for this idea. It is just too big a leap."

But the Doctor murmured back encouragingly: "Come on."

He stared at her seriously as he said with a small grin: "Be extraordinary."

"Oh, you…" Nasreen muttered annoyed, gritting her teeth, but she was looking a little amused as the Doctor smiled.

Nasreen took a deep breath, and Lily did the same as they turned to face Eldane once more while the Doctor said delightedly: "Okay."

He knocked on the wood as he said triumphantly: "Bringing things to order. The first meeting of representatives of the human race," he indicated the women, "and Homo Reptilia," he indicated Eldane, "is now in session. Ha!"

He laughed delightedly as he murmured: "Never said that before. That's fab. Carry on."

The women all looked at him with wry grins, and he called: "Now, Mo. Let's go and get your son."

He walked out with the other man, his voice getting fainter as he said to Mo: "Oh, you know, humans, and their predecessors shooting the breeze. Never thought I'd see it."

Eldane turned to face the women, and each side straightened their backs, taking deep breaths as they sat for the first attempt at peace between two completely different species.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

"Elliot." The Doctor murmured as he peered at the boy suspended in the statis chamber. "There you are."

Malohkeh was pressing the necessary buttons to open the chamber and Mo growled threateningly: "If you've harmed him in any way"

"Of course not." Malohkeh interrupted. "I only store the young."

"But why?" The Doctor asked curiously, peering at the scientist.

Malohkeh turned to him, explaining: "I took samples of the young, slowed their lifecycles to a millionth of their normal rate so I could study how they grew, what they needed, how they lived on the surface."

The Doctor's face softened and he asked gently: "You've been down here working by yourself, all alone?"

Malohkeh looked a little sheepish as he replied: "My family, through the millennia, and for the last three hundred years, just me."

He smiled and the Doctor returned it, feeling no small amount of admiration for this kind creature before him. Malohkeh turned to Mo, adding sincerely: "I never meant to harm your child."

Mo nodded, also recognizing the kindred spirit inside Malohkeh, and the Doctor murmured: "Malohkeh, I rather love you."

He tapped his fist against the scientist's who tapped him back happily. He then turned to the controls, and pressed the final button, saying: "It's safe. We can wake him."

The doors opened and Malohkeh walked in, unhooking Elliot from the wires.

"Come." He encouraged and Mo stepped in eagerly.

"Elliot?" He called as the boy's eyes began to focus. "Ell, it's Dad."

"Dad." Elliot breathed and Mo hugged him in relief, the two rejoicing to be reunited once more.

The Doctor watched with a smile as Mo said to his son happily: "You're safe now."

"Where are we?" Elliot asked curiously and Mo replied, half-laughing: "Well, I've got to be honest with you, son. We're in the centre of the Earth, and there are lizard men."

Elliot's mouth fell open, and his head turned to see Malohkeh. The Silurian waved, murmuring: "Hi."

"Wow." Elliot breathed, his eyes wide with wonder and the Doctor stepped inside, saying softly: "Elliot. I'm sorry. I took my eye off you."

Elliot beamed as he replied easily: "It's okay. I forgive you. Besides, Lily looked after me… Lily, is she alright?" He asked, suddenly alarmed and the Doctor laughed, nodding.

Elliot beamed again and they all made their way out, where Malohkeh said to the Doctor: "You go on, Doctor. I'll catch up."

The Doctor nodded and walked off with the man and his son as Malohkeh turned back to his controls.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

"We lived on the surface of the planet long before you did." Eldane told them seriously. "Our sole purpose has been to return to our rightful place."

Amy dropped her head into her arms as Nasreen replied: "And we've got a planet that can't already sustain the people who live there. And you want to add a whole other species to, to drain resources…"

Lily groaned internally. They pair had been at this for the last half hour, making no progress. _Well, politics._ She thought wryly, but even her mental humor wasn't helping. The topic was dire- each side just had too much at stake, and to be honest… too much to lose.

Eldane finally switched on a hologram of the Earth as they tried to find a solution, not a compromise, and Amy asked anxiously: "So, what about the areas that aren't habitable to us?"

She began to point them out, listing: "Australian outback, Sahara desert, Nevada plains."

"They're all deserted." She said to Nasreen pointedly, who sighed as she argued: "Yes, fine, but what happens when their population grows and breeds and spreads? And anyway, what benefit does humanity get, and how will we ever sell this to people on the surface?"

"If I could get a word in," Eldane interrupted, annoyed, and the pair turned to him as Lily also listened intently, "maybe I could tell you. You give us space, we can bring new sources of energy, new methods of water supply, new medicines, scientific advances."

Lily smiled as Nasreen's face softened while Eldane continued kindly: "We were a great civilisation. You provide a place for us on the surface, we'll give you knowledge and technology beyond humanity's dreams. If we work together, this planet could achieve greatness."

"I like you, Eldane." Lily said softly.

He smiled at her, and Nasreen nodded, saying determinedly: "Okay. Now I'm starting to see it."

"Oh yeah." Amy said in delight. They were interrupted as the Doctor strode in, clapping his hands enthusiastically.

"Not bad for a first session." He said with a smile and Lily grinned at him. He complimented pointedly: "More similarities than differences."

They nodded, just as a whizzing sound came from behind. Eldane commented: "The transport has returned. Your friends are here."

He looked at the women, who smiled. As they moved to get ready to greet the arrivals, Lily walked over to Eldane, whispering: "Thank you. It's very kind of you to offer us what are gifts, just so you can avoid a pointless war."

He smiled at her as he murmured back: "You have heart, child. I can see that, and I do not take that lightly."

She grinned, and hugged him. He looked startled but patted her lightly as she pulled back before walking over to join the Doctor, taking his hand. He grinned down at her, saying quietly: "Mm, I saw that. Not bad, Lily Tyler. Not bad at all."

She smiled at him and he glanced around before quickly leaning down to peck her on the lips. She smiled at him, giggling a little and he grinned softly, before they turned to the doorway once more just as Rory appeared around the corner.

"Here they are!" The Doctor called as he waved at Rory. Everyone looked over, Eldane coming to stand beside the Doctor and Lily at the front. Rory waved back half-heartedly as Ambrose appeared behind him.

"Mum!" Elliot called happily, running towards his mother as Amy stood up, greeting happily: "Rory!"

He smiled back at her, but it looked forced and he was looking distinctly uncomfortable as he tugged on his jacket nervously.

They soon saw why. The Doctor's face fell, becoming grim while Lily's heart sank as Tony walked in last, carrying something wrapped in an orange blanket. _Oh, no_. Lily thought, as the Doctor murmured with a frown: "Something's wrong."

Rory had stopped by the entrance anxiously as Tony strode in, looking sorrowful. Lily saw Ambrose's nervous glance as she hugged her son tightly, and she closed her eyes. Amy asked confusedly as she watched Tony: "Doctor, what's he carrying?"

The Doctor didn't respond, stepping forward numbly as he murmured in shock: "No. Don't do this."

As Tony stopped, and knelt to lay the body on the ground the Doctor bit out: "Tell me you didn't do this."

He moved forward and slowly bent down, before uncovering the blanket to reveal a Silurian female warrior's face. Lily's heart sank- this had to be Alaya, Restac's sister. Amy had flinched in horror, before glancing nervously at Eldane who staggered a little in shock. The Doctor covered Alaya's face once more, lifting his head to stare at Tony with cold eyes as he breathed slowly, trying to remain calm through the anger that was bubbling inside.

Tony hung his head ashamedly, unable to mee the Doctor's gaze and the Doctor asked him flatly: "What did you do?"

"It was me." Ambrose suddenly piped up from behind and Tony averted his head shamefacedly. Ambrose just continued stoicly: "I did it."

The Doctor looked at her with steely eyes as Elliot turned in his mother's arms, asking in horror: "Mum?"

"I just wanted you back." Ambrose said firmly as she gripped her son's shoulders but he pushed her off, looking disappointed.

He moved away from her, backing away towards his father and Lily and Ambrose's face fell as she watched her son leave. Elliot backed into Lily and she wrapped her arms comfortingly around the hurt boy as he stared at his mother, shaken.

Ambrose watched, crestfallen before glancing around at them, taking in her husband's stunned expression, Lily's disappointed one, and finally the Doctor's cold, grim face. The Doctor turned away from her in disgust, facing Eldane once more as the Silurian leader turned his head away.

The Doctor addressed him as he said quietly: "I'm sorry. I didn't know. You have to believe me, they're better than this."

Eldane was looking defeated, his shoulders slumped, but he paused to look at the Doctor pensively in the eyes. Ambrose interrupted, shouting desperately: "This is our planet!"

The Doctor whirled back to her, his anger breaking forth as he snapped at her: "We had a chance here."

"Leave us alone." Ambrose retorted, and the Doctor burst, striding over to her furiously.

"In future," he snapped, "when you talk about this, you tell people there was a chance but you were so. Much. Less!" He emphasized each word as he stopped before the woman and stared down at her with blazing eyes. "Than the best of humanity."

Lily's hands clenched on Elliot as he whimpered, so heartbroken by what his mother had done, because she'd been desperate to save him. Lily gently handed Elliot to Mo, letting the man comfort his son as Ambrose stood staring at the Doctor with tear-filled but defiant eyes.

Their attention was diverted as they heard marching footsteps approaching and Lily clutched the table as Restacc returned with much more troops. The whole group flinched, backing away while the Doctor lifted his head to face the fallout that was only to be expected as they were completely surrounded, the troops filling the whole room.

"My sister." Restac ordered as she walked in. The Doctor breathed a heavy sigh as Restac's eyes fell on the blanket and they all watched apprehensively as the warrior walked over slowly. Restac fell to her knees and slowly lifted the blanket. Lily's heart broke at the sound the Silurian woman made as she saw her sister's dead face.

"Oh." Restac moaned in a voice so filled with pain that even Ambrose averted her head in shame. Restac continued to make the make the deep guttural moans, almost keening at her sister's side as the Doctor slowly walked back over to Lily and Eldane. The brunette's eyes were filled with unshed tears, feeling the Silurian's pain keenly.

Eldane's face was filled with sorrow, but his eyes became more thoughtful as he watched the Doctor join Lily and took in the girl's distraught face before she buried her head in his chest. He looked back down as Restac slowly covered her sister's face before lifting her head, biting out: "And you want us to trust these apes, Doctor?"

"One woman." The Doctor replied tensely.

He glanced at Ambrose warningly before he continued, pleadingly: "She was scared for her family. She is not typical."

He argued, but Restac stood up abruptly, turning to face Amrbose as she retorted: "I think she is."

The Doctor argued as Lily pulled away from him gently: "One person let us down, but there is a whole race of dazzling, peaceful human beings up there."

He looked around, and as no-one moved he cried desperately: "You were building something here. Come on. An alliance could work."

Eldane was looking troubled, but Lily glanced up as Ambrose called sharply: "It's too late for that, Doctor."

The Doctor stopped, staring at the woman. Lily saw Tony looking guilty and distraught, but the Doctor was focused on the woman as he asked carefully: "Why?"

"Our drill," Ambrose said defiantly but her confidence dropped as Lily's face became horrified and her son stared at her mutely, "is set to start burrowing again in," she pulled out a stopwatch, "fifteen minutes." She finished quietly.

"What?" Nasreen demanded, and Tony replied sorrowfully: "What choice did I have? They had Elliot."

"Don't do this." The Doctor urged. "Don't call their bluff."

He gave Ambrose a harsh look, but she continued defiantly: "Let us go back."

"Stop it." Lily whispered, but the woman went on: "And you promise to never come to the surface ever again."

"Stop it! Haven't you done enough?" Lily cried, her eyes shining with tears.

"But we'll walk away," Ambrose protested, "leave them alone."

"And that's fine? These people have the same right to the planet, to save their families, as you do!" Lily shouted at her, and Ambrose flinched.

"But it's ours now." She whispered and Lily closed her eyes, fighting the anger and tears as the Doctor reached out and gripped her hand comfortingly.

Lily's eyes shot open as Restac shouted in fury: "Execute her!"

She was glaring at Ambrose with shining eyes, her pain still raw in her expression. Amrbose yelped as all guns were raised and pointed at her.

"Oh, God!" Lily cried as the Doctor shouted: "No!"

Lily pulled Ambrose, pulling her out of the way just as a shot was fired, barely missing the woman. The Doctor pulled Ambrose down and they ran hunched over as the Doctor yelled at everyone: "Everybody, back to the lab. Run."

He pushed Lily ahead and she did as he said, leading Ambrose and urging everyone with her as they slipped out a side door.

"Execute all the apes." Restac shouted, and the Doctor pulled out his sonic, pointing it in the air.

All the Silurian guns sparked, going out as the Doctor shouted: "This is a deadly weapon. Stay back."

He waved the sonic around as the last of the group dashed out before quickly following them, avoiding a lashing venomous tongue as he did so. Eldane led the group as Lily tugged Elliot faster, pushing Ambrose ahead. The Doctor shouted from behind as he caught up: "Take everyone to the lab."

They paused as the Doctor caught up but all yelped as a gun blast hit just beside them, barely missing the Doctor. He pushed them on, turning and lifting his sonic once more as he said: "I'll cover you."

"Doctor!" Lily cried, but Rory pushed her as he urged everyone: "Go. Go."

They ran inside the laboratory, Rory coming in last, and then stood waiting, Lily wringing her hands anxiously.

She sighed in relief as the Doctor dashed inside, sealing the door behind him. He quickly hugged the brunette as he ordered: "Elliot, you and your dad keep your eyes on that screen. Let me know if we get company. Amy," he tossed her the stopwatch he'd taken from Ambrose, "keep reminding me how much time I haven't got."

"Okay." Amy said quickly as she caught the watch and Elliot and Ambrose moved to watch the monitors.

"Um, er, twelve minutes till drill impact." She called and the Doctor walked over to Tony, checking the man as he said: "Tony Mack. Sweaty forehead, dilated pupils. What are you hiding?" He demanded.

Tony glanced at him before opening his shirt to reveal green veins running all across his chest. Lily gasped, and she and the Doctor bent to examine it as Nasreen asked in horror: "Tony, what happened?"

The Doctor began to sonic the man's veins as Tony explained: "Alaya's sting. She said there's no cure. I'm dying, aren't I?"

The Doctor moved to the lab consoles as he replied: "You're not dying, you're mutating."

"How can I stop it?" Tony asked weakly and the Doctor replied as he soniced the console: "Decontamination program. Might work. Don't know."

He turned to the Silurian leader, asking: "Eldane, can you run the program on Tony?"

The leader nodded as Mo called: "Doctor, shedload of those creatures coming our way. We're surrounded in here."

"So, question is," the Doctor thought aloud, "how we do stop the drill given we can't get there in time?"

"Plus," he added as he began to pace about the room, "also, how do we get out, given that we're surrounded? Nasreen," he suddenly turned to the woman, "how do you feel about an energy pulse channelled up through the tunnels to the base of the drill?"

"To blow up my life's work?" She asked incredulously, and the Doctor replied seriously: "Yes. Sorry. No nice way of putting that."

Lily pursed her lips but Nasreen just said bravely: "Right, well, you're going to have to do it before the drill hits the city, in er-"

"Eleven minutes forty seconds." Amy told them, and the Doctor retorted with a small grin: "Yes. Squeaky bum time. Lily, help me."

He added and the girl moved to join him at the console, working the machines when Nasreen pointed out: "Yes, but the explosion is going to cave in all the surrounding tunnels, so we have to be out and on the surface by then."

"But we can't get past Restac's troops." Rory protested, and the Doctor frowned, but Eldane suddenly chimed in: "I can help with that."

They turned to the leader in surprise as he walked out from where he'd been treating Tony. He explained: "Toxic Fumigation. An emergency failsafe meant to protect my species from infection. A warning signal to occupy cryo-chambers. After that, citywide fumigation by toxic gas. Then the city shuts down."

The Doctor's face was grim as he nodded once in thanks before turning away to make final preparations. Amy stepped forward, saying softly: "You could end up killing your own people."

"Only those foolish enough to follow Restac." Eldane answered.

Lily took his hand, and murmured sincerely: "Eldane, thank you. And I'm sorry."

He nodded at her as the Doctor added, turning to him seriously: "Eldane, are you sure about this?"

Eldane nodded as he replied, just as serious: "My priority is my race's survival. The Earth isn't ready for us to return yet."

"No." The Doctor agreed.

"Ten minutes, Doctor." Amy said urgently, but he wasn't done yet.

"But maybe it should be." The Doctor continued firmly.

"So, here's a deal. Everybody listening." He ordered and they all turned to him as he added: "Eldane, you activate shutdown. I'll amend the system, set your alarm for a thousand years time."

He turned to the humans, looking at each of them in turn as he told them seriously: "A thousand years to sort the planet out. To be ready. Pass it on. As legend, or prophesy, or religion, but somehow make it known. This planet is to be shared."

He finished softly and Elliot piped up as he promised: "Yeah. I get you."

The Doctor smiled and snapped his fingers at the boy proudly.

"Nine minutes, seven seconds." Amy called, and the Doctor dashed back to the controls where Lily pointed to the screens as she finished.

"Yes. Fluid controls, my favourite." The Doctor murmured enthusiastically. "Energy pulse. Timed, primed and set."

He patted her head appreciatively as he pulled out his sonic, adding: "Before we go, energy barricade. Need to cancel it out quickly."

He soniced the machine and the display showed the energy field de-activating.

"Fumigation pre-launching." Eldane added.

Rory hurried over as he said urgently: "There's not much time for us to get from here to the surface, Doctor."

"Ah ha," the Doctor laughed as he replied, "super-squeaky bum time. Get ready to run for your lives. Now."

He ordered, when Eldane pointed out: "But the decontamination program on your friend hasn't started yet."

They turned to Tony, Lily's heart sinking but the man just said firmly: "Well, go. All of you, go."

He motioned with his hands, ushering them out and Ambrose replied, her brows furrowing as she fought tears: "No, we're not leaving you here."

"Granddad." Elliot murmured as he ran over to hug the old man. Lily bit her lip anxiously- they didn't have time.

"Eight minutes ten seconds." Amy said, as though agreeing with Lily's thought.

Tony said to Elliot gently: "Now you look after your mum."

He knelt to look his grandson in the eye as he added in a low voice: "You mustn't blame her. She only did what she thought was right."

The boy nodded slowly, before he whispered: "I'm not going to see you again, am I?"

"I'll be here, always." The old replied as he touched the boy's chest, right over his heart. "I love you, boy."

He hugged his grandson once more, turning his head to his daughter. She was trying hard not to cry as he said sternly: "You be sure he gets home safe."

Ambrose shook her head, sniffling as a tear fell and she whispered: "This is my fault."

"No, I can't go back up there." Tony replied light-heartedly. "I'd be a freak show. The technology down here's my only hope."

He choked a little at the end, and his daughter sobbed as she hugged him, whimpering: "I love you, Dad."

Tony let go and then pushed them away firmly, saying: "Go. Go."

"Come on." Mo murmured as he took his wife.

"Go on." Tony urged the Doctor who nodded.

"Bye, Tony." Lily whispered and the old man nodded at her as the Doctor turned to nod at Eldane who pressed a button.

The lights dimmed and then the whole place was lit by a green light.

"Toxic fumigation initiated." The computer announced. **"** Return to cryo-chambers."

Amy ran to check the monitor, and she called: "They're going. We're clear."

"Okay, everyone follow Nasreen." The Doctor called. "Look for a blue box."

He stood at the doors, lifting his sonic as he ordered: "Get ready to run."

He soniced the door, and it slid open as the Doctor walked over to Eldane. He murmured, repeating Lily's words to the Silurian. "I'm sorry."

Eldane paused, and admitted: "I thought for a moment, our race and the humans…"

He sighed, and the Doctor agreed quietly: "Yeah, me too."

"Doctor, We've got less than six minutes." Amy called urgently.

"Go. Go!" He called at them, urging them on ahead. "I'm right behind you."

The group ran, Lily hesitating, but the Doctor gestured with his hands and she ran. He turned back to Eldane, who nodded at Lily's disappearing back and murmured: "She's a special one. Look after her."

"Don't need to tell me twice." He replied, and they nodded their goodbyes before Eldane turned to help Tony while the Doctor made to leave, calling to Nasreen: "Let's go."

"I'm not coming either." Nasreen admitted and the Doctor paused.

He turned to her, asking flatly: "What?"


	27. 9-3 Goodbye, Rory

Nasreen walked back to Tony, holding his hand as she said determinedly: "We're going to hibernate with them, me and Tony."

"Doctor, you must go." Eldane warned but he, too, hesitated.

Tony smiled at Nasreen as he said gently: "I can be decontaminated when we're woken. All the time in the world."

"But," the Doctor protested, "Nasreen, you-"

She cut him off as she said firmly and contently: "No, this is perfect. I don't want to go. I've got what I was digging for. I can't leave when I've only just found it."

"Doctor!" Amy shouted as she and Lily ran back, having been too worried to leave him behind.

He glanced back but looked back at Nasreen as she walked over and looked the man in the eye to say sincerely: "Thank you, Doctor."

"The pleasure was all mine." He replied with a smile.

He hugged her quickly and Nasreen whispered: "Come and look for us. You and Lily."

He nodded ran back to take Lily's hand as the pair and Amy ran quickly. They dashed down the tunnels as the computer called overhead: "Immediate evacuation."

Rory ran passed them in his quest to look for them, and Amy yelled without stopping: "Other way, idiot."

Rory spun quickly, running after them as the computer called: "Toxic fumigation is about to commence. Immediate evacuation."

"Come on." The Doctor yelled as they ran passed Mo and his family as they hesitated, unsure where to go. He led the way, still gripping Lily's hand and everyone ran behind him.

As the Doctor stopped outside the Tardis, he ordered to Mo's family: "No questions, just get in. And yes, I know, it's big. Ambrose, sickbay up the stairs, left, then left again, Get yourself fixed up."

He finished as he shoved the family inside, checking his watch. He turned as Rory and Amy caught up, saying quickly: "Come on. Five minutes and counting."

The Doctor turned again and all of them froze, Lily's face going pale as they stared at one of the tunnel walls.

"Oh, my God." Lily whispered as the Doctor whispered, almost pleadingly: "Not here."

They stared at the crack in the wall that had appeared opposite them, and the Doctor murmured: "Not now. It's getting wider."

He realized, and Amy added numbly: "The crack on my bedroom wall."

"And the Byzantium." The Doctor added as he moved, heading towards the crack. "All through the universe, rips in the continuum."

He leaned down to examine it intently as he muttered: "Some sort of space-time cataclysm. An explosion, maybe. Big enough to put cracks in the universe. But what?"

"Four minutes fifty. We have to go." Amy said urgently.

Lily took a step forward anxiously as the Doctor didn't move as he retorted: "The Angels laughed when I didn't know. Prisoner Zero knew. Everybody knows except me."

"Doctor, just leave it." Amy begged.

"Doctor, please." Lily murmured as she came closer to him, but he just reached inside his jacket as he mused: "But where there's an explosion," he pulled out a red handkerchief and Lily became alarmed as he finished with a smirk, "there's shrapnel."

He dashed forwards to the crack as Rory shouted: "Doctor, you can't put your hand in there."

But he just wrapped his hand in the handkerchief as he retorted: "Why not?"

"Doctor!" Lily shouted in fright, running for him as he stuck his hand inside the crack.

"Argh!" He yelled, and Lily jumped at him, tugging on his arm but he pushed her hands away as he muttered: "Wait, I've got something."

"What is it?" Amy demanded, and Lily had had enough. She wrenched his arm, pulling it out and throwing them both to the ground. The Doctor quickly stared at what he'd grabbed, but he hid it in his handkerchief as Lily groaned, rolling over to sit up.

"Doctor? What was it?" Lily asked as he stuffed the handkerchief back in his jacket.

"I don't know." He replied as he got to his feet and helped Lily up.

She frowned, knowing he was lying but Rory suddenly called sharply: "Doctor!"

They turned to see Restac crawling in, dragging her dying body across the ground determinedly. Amy gasped: "She was there when the gas started. She must have been poisoned."

"You." Restac gasped out as she pulled out her gun.

"Okay, get in the Tardis," the Doctor said quickly and quietly, "all of you."

He pushed Lily away and she stumbled into Amy as Restac spat, lifting her gun: "You did this!"

The Doctor reached quickly into his jacket for his sonic as Restac fired and Rory yelled: "Doctor!"

Rory ran forward, pushing the Doctor out of the way just as the laser shot fired. The Doctor stumbled while Rory collapsed, taking the hit instead.

"Rory!" Amy and Lily screamed at the same time, but the anguish in the redhead's voice was much sharper as she bent immediately down to the moaning man. He was gasping in pain and wheezing as Lily bent down too and Restac breathed her last, dying on the ground a few feet away.

The Doctor urged as he joined them, kneeling on Rory's other side: "Rory, can you hear me?"

The Doctor soniced him desperately and Rory's eyes focused and he stopped groaning in pain but he was still panting as the life left him.

"I don't understand." Rory whispered and Lily's hands covered her mouth as Amy whispered soothingly: "Shush. Don't talk."

She turned to the Doctor and asked desperately: "Doctor, is he okay? We have to get him onto the Tardis."

"We were on the hill." Rory continued as he gripped Amy's hand and the redhead stared down at him, her eyes filling with tears as he whispered: "I can't die here."

Lily reeled back, choking back a sob as Amy froze before she chided, almost begging as she whispered: "Don't say that."

Rory stared at her lovingly as he murmured: "You're so beautiful."

Amy shook her head a little, beginning to whimper, and Rory shut his eyes as his face scrunched in pain.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and then his face relaxed.

Tears started to drip down Lily's face and she shook her head, unable to believe her eyes. Amy gasped out breathes, fighting tears and the pain in her heart as she begged: "Doctor, help him."

The Doctor glanced up, but he was distracted as he saw a light approach behind them. He turned to see the light from the crack touching Rory's feet. Lily turned to see the same thing just as the Doctor said urgently: "Lily, Amy, move away from the light. If it touches you, you'll be wiped from history."

Lily froze, unable to move but the Doctor quickly moved to their side and pulled her up and away. Amy didn't move as she stared down at Rory's face, beginning to shake from repressed sobs and the Doctor ordered softly: "Amy, move away now."

"No." Amy snapped as the tears pooled in her eyes. "I am not leaving him. We have to help him."

The Doctor pushed Lily at the Tardis as he leaned down to grab Amy, murmuring urgently: "The light's already around him. We can't help him."

"I am not leaving him." Amy cried as her voice cracked, but the Doctor was firm as he pulled at her, saying: "We have to."

"No!" Amy screamed, struggling against the Doctor, and Lily hesitated.

"Lily, inside, now!" The Doctor ordered and Lily took one last look at Rory before she did as he said, knowing there was nothing she could do.

The Doctor pulled on Amy again, murmuring softly: "I'm sorry."

"Get off me!" Amy shouted as she tried to break out of the Doctor's grasp, tried to stay with Rory.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor whispered as he pulled her up and dragged her towards the Tardis and Amy screamed hysterically: "Get off me. No!"

The Doctor threw Amy inside, and Lily caught her as she screamed: "No!"

The Doctor quickly locked the Tardis behind him as Amy screamed: "No! No!"

The Doctor ran for the console, getting ready to take them off and out of there as Lily let Amy go. The redhead banged on the doors screaming: "No! Let me out. Please let me out. I need to get to Rory."

She banged on the doors once more before she broke down crying before them. Lily wrapped her arms around the other girl, holding her tightly and Amy begged: "That light. If his body's absorbed, I'll forget him. He'll never have existed."

She pulled her head up and stared at Lily, who just looked back at her sadly, her own heart breaking for the poor girl. Amy turned to face the Doctor as she begged: "You can't let that happen."

The Doctor leaned heavily against the console for a moment, not looking at her, before he pulled a lever firmly.

"What are you doing?" Amy snarled and she pushed Lily off, running for the console as the Tardis began to wheeze. Lily walked after her friend slowly, knowing there was no comfort in this universe that she could give for the girl.

"Doctor, no!" Amy shrieked, pushing him away from the console but it was too late.

The Tardis began to dematerialize as Amy continued to scream: "No! No! No!"

She tried to hit the console and stop it, and the Doctor grabbed her, pulling her away as she begged tearfully: "Doctor, we can't just leave him there."

The Doctor urged her frantically as Lily came over: "Keep him in your mind. Don't forget him. If you forget him, you'll lose him forever."

"When we were on the Byzantium," Amy protested, crying hysterically, "I still remembered the Clerics because I am a time traveller now, you said."

"Not this time." Lily told her quietly as she struggled to keep her own tears in check. Amy sobbed and Lily hugged her, the Doctor wrapping his arms around the two girls.

"They weren't part of your world. This is different. This is your own history changing." The Doctor told Amy, his own face crumpling in pain as he tried to help the girl.

"Don't tell me it's going to be okay." Amy cried. "You have to make it okay."

She began to sob hysterically and Lily's grip on her tightened as the Doctor grabbed the girl's face and urged: "It's going to be hard, but you can do it, Amy."

The girl's legs gave out and Lily held her tightly as she and the Doctor gently placed her down, the three sitting. Lily's mind was slowly blanking and her tears began to flow as she struggled to try and keep her memories of Rory.

The Doctor saw Lily's struggle and Amy's slowly blanking face and he said urgently: "Tell me about Rory, eh? Fantastic Rory. Funny Rory. Gorgeous Rory. Amy, listen to me. Do exactly as I say. Amy, please. Keep concentrating. You can do this."

The girl began to shake her head and she whispered: "I can't."

"You can." The Doctor insisted, feeling his hearts tug as he felt a sense of déjà vu. "You can do it. I can't help you unless you do. Come on. We can still save his memory. Come on, Amy. Please."

Amy tried, she really did, but it was as though there was an eraser just slowly making all her memories of Rory fade into white nothingness. Lily's eyes were slowly unfocusing, and her grip on Amy slacking. The Doctor saw it with alarm, because that meant Amy wasn't focusing either.

"Come on, Amy, come on." He said frantically. "Amy, please."

Amy sniffed and the Doctor urged as Lily's hands fell away: "Don't let anything distract you. Remember Rory. Keep remembering. Rory's only alive in your memory. You must keep hold of him."

The Doctor saw Lily's head loll from the corner of his eye but he didn't dare look away from Amy. The redhead was his priority right now, because it was in Amy's heart that Rory had to live on in.

He owed his brave friend that much, so the Doctor ordered desperately: "Don't let anything distract you. Rory still lives in your mind."

The Tardis suddenly rocked violently as they landed, throwing the three to the floor. The Doctor groaned as he rolled over and his eyes widened in fear as he spotted the red ring box that Rory must've left on the Tardis console when he put Amy's engagement ring away before.

He whipped around to face the girls as they groaned, sitting up. His face fell as he saw Lily blinking confusedly and he turned to Amy with sinking hearts. His fears were confirmed as Amy turned and asked him blankly: "What were you saying?"

Lily also looked up as she said slowly: "We were talking about something… what was it?"

She trailed off confusedly, and both girls turned to the Doctor expectantly, only to be puzzled when he just stared at them with horror.

But Amy was soon distracted, turning away as Mo and his family came down from the infirmary, the man saying in awe: "I have seen some things today, but this is beyond mad."

Amy whipped out the stopwatch, and said quickly: "Doctor. Five seconds till it all goes up."

Lily quickly got to her feet as the Doctor did the same, and they dashed for the doors as Amy followed. Mo and his family joined them, running outside into the graveyard just in time to see the whole drilling mine explode in the distance.

Lily sighed as she watched it and Amy murmured, nodding in understanding: "All Nasreen's work just erased."

"Good thing she's not here to see it." Mo commented. "She's going to give Tony hell when they wake up."

"But it was for a good cause. And besides," Lily added with a smile, "one thousand years? Maybe they'll have already mapped the center of the Earth by then."

She glanced at the Doctor with a grin, but frowned a little as she saw him with that same sad expression he'd had since earlier.

* * *

They soon said their farewells to Mo and his family and as they strolled back to the Tardis, Amy also commented on the Doctor's strange behavior, saying: "You're very quiet. Oh." She added as she spotted something. "Hey, look. There I am again."

She waved at the figure in the distance, shouting: "Hello, me."

Lily frowned, blinking slowly, and Amy did the same, the smile on her face fading just slightly. The Doctor saw it and he asked them: "Are you two okay?"

Lily looked startled and she nodded as Amy said slowly: "I thought I saw someone else there for a second."

Lily was puzzled - she'd felt the same thing. As future Amy walked away, Amy turned to the Doctor and Lily, saying pointedly: "I need a holiday. Didn't we talk about Rio?"

She walked over to the Tardis and the Doctor told them: "You two go in. Just fix this lock. Keeps… jamming."

He indicated as he shoved the door open and Amy rolled her eyes as she said: "You boys and your locksmithery."

She strolled in, but Lily stayed outside, looking at the Doctor expectantly.

"Doctor, what is it? What's wrong?" She asked him softly and he stared down at her with sad eyes.

"Nothing." He murmured and she frowned.

"Doctor-" Lily began but he shook his head, cutting her off.

He gave her a small smile as he said: "No, Lily. Not this time. When the time is right… I'll tell you."

She pursed her lips, a little disgruntled and not wanting to let the topic go.

But the Doctor kissed her forehead softly, and she could sense that he really didn't want to talk about it. So instead of pressing the issue, Lily simply nodded.

Leaning up, she kissed the Doctor's cheek before walking into the Tardis after Amy, while the Doctor paused in the doorway once more.

He slowly reached into his jacket and pulled out his red handkerchief, unfolding it to stare down at the shrapnel he'd pulled from the crack once more. He frowned, his hearts clenching in apprehension, as he stared at the charred corner of the Tardis 'Police' sign.


	28. 10-1 Vincent and the Doctor

The trio wandered around the Musée d'Orsay, Lily's eyes wide in wonder. When Amy had suggested Paris as their next stop, Lily had had no idea the Doctor would bring them to _this_. She and Amy peered at a Van Gogh masterpiece, marveling at the brushstrokes.

Behind them, the museum curator was telling a group of tourists as they stood before the painting 'Wheatfield with Crows': "So this is one of the last paintings Van Gogh ever painted. Those final months of his life were probably the most astonishing artistic outpouring in history-"

Amy glanced around, checking that the Doctor wasn't nearby. He was wandering off, looking at a different painting so she whirled to her brunette friend, whispering: "Have you noticed the Doctor's been acting really nice lately, as though he was spoiling us?"

Lily nodded as she answered thoughtfully: "Yes. We've barely had a run in with any trouble, he's been so busy taking us sightseeing. I wonder what he did that's making him feel so guilty?"

Amy teased: "Maybe he's trying to get on your good side and, hm, I don't know, get some action?"

She wiggled her eyebrows as Lily's eyes widened in alarm and her face went bright red.

"Don't say stuff like that!" Lily exclaimed, extremely embarrassed, and Amy just laughed at her.

"What are you two talking about?" The Doctor asked as he walked up and Lily quickly said as Amy opened her mouth, her lips already curving into a teasing smile: "Nothing, just, you know, admiring the art."

"Admiring the art." The Doctor repeated with raised brows and Lily shrugged nonchalantly, desperately trying to ignore the amused look on Amy's face.

"Okay, moving on." The Doctor replied as he continued to walk through the exhibition and Lily added as they went: "Thanks for bringing us here."

"You're welcome." He replied lightly, and Amy added as she joined their side: "You're being so nice to us."

The Doctor didn't reply and Amy asked pointedly: "Why are you being so nice to us?"

"I'm always nice to you." The Doctor replied defensively, and Amy returned: "To Lily, maybe. But even then, not like this. These places you're taking us. Arcadia, the Trojan Gardens, now this."

Lily raised her brows as well while the Doctor folded his arms defensively.

"I think it's suspicious." Amy teased, and the Doctor replied sharply: "What? It's not. There's nothing to be suspicious about."

Lily raised her brows even higher while Amy raised her hands in surrender, saying: "Okay, I was joking."

As the Doctor turned away again, she frowned, adding: "Why aren't you?"

The Doctor ignored her as he turned to watch the curator once more as the man was saying: "Each of these pictures now is worth tens of millions of pounds, yet in his lifetime he was a commercial disaster. Sold only one painting, and that to the sister of a friend."

Lily smiled wryly- she knew Van Gogh's sad story. He was quite possibly her favorite artist of all time, and from the curator's tone she could tell the man thought so as well as he went on: "We have here possibly the greatest artist of all time, but when he died you could sold his entire body of work and got about enough money to buy a sofa and a couple of chairs. If you follow me now-"

"It's the doctor." A child said from behind them, and Lily and the Doctor turned around in surprise, but it was only two children staring at a portrait of Doctor Gachet.

"He was the doctor who took care of Van Gogh when he started to go mad." The child was saying. The Doctor and Lily smiled, sharing glances as Amy wandered off with her exhibition guidebook.

"It's the Doctor." Lily teased as she pointed at him and he grinned at her.

Lily lowered her voice, whispering: "But seriously, Doctor, why _have_ you been so nice? Why are you acting… so guilty?"

He paused, and then said in a serious tone: "Well, you see, Lily, there was an escaped rabbit that was being chased by a robot dog-"

"Be serious." She giggled and he smiled.

He paused again and then asked with a fake pout: "Can't I do something nice for my girlfriend?"

"You could, but I get the feeling that's not why. And who's your girlfriend?" She teased and he joked back: "Well, it's not Amy."

"Must be the robot dog then." Lily said with a straight face, and he burst out laughing. Lily laughed with him as he shook his head, placing an arm around her shoulders and hugging her sideways.

Suddenly Amy popped up between them and she pulled the pair, dragging them with her as she said excitedly: "Look. There it is. The actual one."

She stopped before the 'Church at Auvers.' Lily smiled as Amy held up the picture in her guidebook against the painting as a comparison.

"Yes." The Doctor breathed, also excited.

Lily examined the meticulous details as the Doctor continued in awe: "You can almost feel his hand painting it right in front of you," Lily frowned as she saw something she wasn't sure should be there, "carving the colours into shapes..."

The Doctor trailed off as he saw Lily staring intently at something and he peered at it too.

"Wait a minute." He frowned too, and Amy asked confusedly: "What?"

"Well, just look at that." The Doctor told her as he pointed to the window of the church and Amy continued to look confused as she asked: "What?"

"The window." Lily told her as the Doctor muttered: "Something very not good indeed."

"What thing very not good?" Amy asked irritably and the Doctor said impatiently: "Look there," he pointed, "in the window of the church."

Amy did as she was told, staring at what Lily had spotted. It looked like a small dragon, painted inside the church, it's eyes a bright yellow shade.

"Is it a face?" Amy asked quietly, and the Doctor breathed: "Yes."

"And not a nice face at all." The Doctor added darkly. "I know evil when I see it and I see it in that window."

He turned, walking off quickly. Amy followed while Lily gave the painting one last glance before she also turned away. The Doctor had walked over to the curator, and he said loudly: "Excuse me. If I can just interrupt for one second. Sorry, everyone."

He held up his psychic paper, showing it to the tourists as he said: "Routine inspection, Ministry of Art… and Artiness."

He finished lamely as he turned to the curator and began: "So, er…"

"Doctor Black." The man introduced himself just as Lily joined the group.

"Yes, that's right." The Doctor said quickly. "Do you know when that picture of the church was painted?"

He indicated the painting and Black glanced at it before saying: "Ah, well, ah, well, what an interesting question. Most people imagine-"

"I'm going to have to hurry you." The Doctor interrupted.

"When was it?" He repeated and Black asked hesitantly: "Exactly?"

"As exactly as you can." The Doctor replied quickly. "Without a long speech, if poss. I'm in a hurry."

"Well, in that case," Black replied, "probably somewhere between the first and third of June."

"What year?" The Doctor asked quickly and Black replied immediately: "1890. Less than a month before," he nodded at the 'Wheatfield with Crows' painting, "before he killed himself." He finished sadly.

The Doctor smiled and said softly: "Thank you, sir. Very helpful indeed."

He pointed at the other man's neck and commented: "Nice bow-tie. Bow-ties are cool." He added as he turned to the girls.

Amy raised her brow while Lily just smiled at him.

"Yours is very…" Doctor Black complimented as he pointed at the Doctor, who replied: "Oh, thank you. Keep telling them stuff."

He gestured at the tourist crowd.

"We need to go." He said as he pulled the girls with him as he broke into a run, heading outside.

"What about the other pictures?" Amy cried, trying to turn back but the Doctor replied shortly, tugging her sharply: "Art can wait. This is life and death."

"I think you'll like it though, Amy!" Lily added as they dashed out of the exhibition.

"Why? Where are we going?" Amy asked and the Doctor replied: "We need to talk to Vincent Van Gogh."

* * *

The Tardis wheezed and the Doctor stepped out quickly. Lily followed, peering out to see they were in a narrow alley with cobbled stones paving the ground and dirty laundry hanging from windows outside various houses.

As Amy also stepped out, looking around excitedly, the Doctor began to walk off, saying eagerly: "Right, so, here's the plan. We find Vincent and he leads us straight to the church and our nasty friend."

"Easy peasy." Amy said with a grin, and Lily laughed, shaking her head.

"Well, no." The Doctor disagreed in a low voice. "I suspect nothing will be easy with Mister Van Gogh. Now," the Doctor said in a lighter tone, "he'll probably be in the local cafe. Sort of orangey light, chairs and tables outside."

Lily smiled, knowing what he was talking about. Amy also did as she flipped through her guidebook, opening it to a picture of the 'Café Terrace at Night'.

"Like this?" Amy asked and the Doctor looked down at it and agreed: "That's the one."

"Or indeed like that." Lily said with a smile, pointing down the street to the café that was just beginning to get ready to close down for the night.

Amy laughed as the Doctor chuckled and agreed: "Yeah, exactly like that."

The Doctor quickly led the way over to the café, and the girls followed excitedly as he called: "Good evening. Does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?"

The manager who had been standing by the café doors groaned and stalked back inside as he said irritably: "Don't mention that man to me."

"Excuse me." The Doctor muttered after the man.

He raised his brows at Lily who just smiled, shaking her head. He grinned at her before turning to the waitresses who were cleaning up the tables outside, asking them: "Do you know Vincent Van Gogh?"

She groaned too, and replied with her hands on her hips: "Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately?" Amy asked, and the waitress replied shortly in an annoyed tone: "He's drunk, he's mad and he never pays his bills."

The Doctor paused uncomfortably and Lily snorted as the Doctor said slyly: "Good painter, though, eh?"

All the waitresses burst out laughing at that, completely amused by the idea. Amy was looking confused but the Doctor just took Lily's hand as he settled them down at a table by the street while Amy continued to stand, bewildered. Suddenly, from inside a man's voice said loudly, irritably: "Come on! Come on! One painting for one drink. That, that's not a bad deal."

Amy was looking towards the sound with wide eyes while Lily and the Doctor shared grins. Lily twisted to watch as the manager walked out, carrying a painting and saying in an annoyed voice: "It wouldn't be a bad deal if the painting were any good."

The Doctor sat up straight as the pleading customer followed the manager out, who continued to say in exasperation: "I can't hang that up on my walls. It'd scare the customers half to death."

Amy, who was behind the manager and so could see both the customer and the painting fully, began to hop around, her mouth open as she silently danced in excitement.

Lily grinned at her as the manager continued angrily: "It's bad enough having you in here in person," he held up the painting against the other man's head to compare it to the man's face, "let alone looming over the customers day and night in a stupid hat. You pay money or you get out."

"I'll pay, if you like." The Doctor suddenly piped up, and the manager looked over at him and Lily, startled as he asked in disbelief: "What?"

Lily's eyes widened as the stunned customer also turned to them and she stared into the face of Vincent Van Gogh as the Doctor repeated, with a wry smile at Lily: "Well, if you like, I'll pay for the drink. Or I'll pay for the painting and you can use the money to pay for the drink."

Van Gogh's brows furrowed as he asked slowly: "Exactly who are you?"

"Oh, I'm… new in town." The Doctor replied evasively, and Lily grinned.

But Van Gogh just smiled grimly as he told the Doctor firmly: "Well, in that case, you don't know three things."

"Oh, come on-" the Doctor began, but Van Gogh continued over him: "One, I pay for my own drinks, thank you."

The manager snorted derisively and the waitresses laughed from around them as well, looking at the painter incredulously. He glanced around, but continued flatly: "Two, no one ever buys any of my paintings or they would be laughed out of town."

He waved the painting he'd taken back from the manager to indicate his point while the manager nodded in affirmative.

"So if you want to stay in town, I suggest you keep your cash to yourself." Van Gogh added.

"And three," he finished, "your friends are cute," the Doctor frowned while Lily suppressed a grin and Amy smiled happily from behind the painter, "but you should keep your big nose out of other people's business."

He turned back to the manager, arguing again: "Come on, just one more drink."

The manager began to shake his head but Van Gogh shoved the painting at him once more as he promised: "I'll pay tomorrow."

"No." The manager said flatly, and Van Gogh wheedled: "Or, on the other hand, slightly more compassionately, yes?"

"Or, on the other hand, to protect my business from madmen, no." The manager spat firmly and Vincent began again: "Or-?"

Amy cut in exasperated as the manager's face twisted in annoyance: "Oh look, just shut up, the pair of you."

Both men turned to her in surprise as the Doctor grinned proudly and Lily chuckled. Amy strode up to the manager, saying defiantly: " _I_ would like a bottle of wine, please, which I will then share with whomever," she looked at Van Gogh pointedly, "I choose."

She smiled flirtatiously at the painter, who looked surprised but said with a small answering smile: "That could be good."

The Doctor's face became a little pensive but Lily didn't notice as she beamed at the pair as the manager replied: "That's good by me."

"Good." Amy said delightedly. She strode inside and the manager huffed a sigh before shoving the painting back at Van Gogh. Lily winced, wanting badly to tell the manager off for treating the masterpiece so poorly. The Doctor squeezed her hand sympathetically as Van Gogh gripped his 'Self-portrait with Straw Hat' and glanced at the pair with a puzzled expression.

* * *

As the four sat at a table inside, Van Gogh sitting opposite them as Amy and Lily sat side by side and the Doctor sat right beside Lily, the painter asked Amy: "That accent of yours. You from Holland like me?"

"Yes." The Doctor replied at the same time Amy said: "No."

She turned to look at the Doctor with a frown as he paused, almost wincing while Van Gogh looked between them with a raised brow.

"She means, 'yes'." Lily piped up, making the painter glanced at her.

"She had some trouble adjusting when she came here, so she denies it automatically now." Lily lied smoothly and Van Gogh nodded thoughtfully, looking back at Amy sympathetically… and probably empathetically.

The Doctor suppressed a proud smile, instead leaning forward and saying brightly: "So, start again."

The Doctor held out his hand as he introduced: "Hello, I'm the Doctor."

"I knew it!" Van Gogh spat, making Lily look at him in surprise.

The Doctor also looked startled as he asked: "Sorry?"

Van Gogh snarled: "My brother's always sending doctors, but you won't be able to help."

Amy looked at her friends with wide eyes, and Lily just smiled sadly at her while the Doctor replied to the painter lightly: "Oh, no, not that kind of doctor."

As Van Gogh scoffed, turning away, the Doctor pointed at another of the other man's painting, commenting: "That's incredible, don't you think, Lily, Amy?"

Van Gogh looked startled as he turned to pick up his work in surprise while Lily and Amy nodded.

"It really is." Lily said sincerely as Amy added: "Absolutely. One of my favourites."

Lily's eyes widened and she pinched the other girl slyly under the table as Van Gogh asked with a frown: "'One of my favourite' whats? You've never seen my work before."

"Ah yes." Amy amended hastily. "One of my favourite paintings that I've ever seen, generally."

She quickly sipped her wine as Lily wrinkled her nose wryly. Thankfully Van Gogh didn't think too deeply of it as he said dismissively: "Then you can't have seen many paintings, then. I know it's terrible."

Lily's face fell in sympathy for the man as he stared despondently at his painting.

"It's the best I can do." He murmured before he dropped the painting back down again in self-disgust.

Lily winced again, but Van Gogh was staring thoughtfully at Amy so he didn't notice as he commented: "Your hair is orange."

Amy raised her brows and then leaned forward towards the man as she pointed out: "Yes. So's yours."

The painter looked at her pensively as he murmured softly: "Yes. It was more orange, but now is, of course…" He trailed off a little as he stared into Amy's eyes and the Doctor rolled his eyes. Van Gogh finished flirtatiously: "Less."

"Ugh. So." The Doctor interrupted, and Lily suppressed a smile. "Er, Vincent, painted any churches recently?"

Amy rolled her eyes as she leaned back again, straightening her back. Lily grinned at her slyly and Amy just smiled back at her with twinkling eyes. The Doctor didn't notice as he continued: "Any churchy plans? Are churches, chapels, religiousy stuff like that, something you'd like to get into? You know, fairly soon?"

Lily rolled her eyes at him, but he just lightly kicked her foot under the table as Van Gogh replied slowly: "Well, there is one church I'm thinking of painting when the weather is right."

"That is very good news." The Doctor said emphatically, looking pleased.

Of course, it was at that timing that someone screamed and an old woman came running into the café, shrieking: "She's been murdered! Help me!"

"That," the Doctor added, "on the other hand, isn't quite such good news."

"No kidding." Lily sighed as she and the Doctor quickly got up.

He grabbed her hand as they ran, the Doctor calling over his shoulder: "Come on, Amy, Vincent!"

They ran out and the old woman followed, showing them the way as she sobbed. They ran down a street where someone else was screaming in horror, and they ran up as a man cried: "She's been ripped to shreds!"

They pushed through the small crowd of people, the Doctor saying urgently: "Please, let me look. I'm a doctor."

Something flashed through Lily's mind- _"Leave it to me. I'm a doctor."_ That same male voice she kept hearing said, and the words echoed in her head. Lily shook her head frantically, trying to clear it, when a though occurred to her.

 _'I wonder… can it be?'_ She thought, but she was broken from her thoughts as a woman shoved her, saying bitingly as she tried to fight back sobs: "Away, all of you vultures."

Lily fell into the Doctor and he held her gently as the woman cried: "This is my daughter."

She fell to her knees at the little girl's side, taking the girl's dead face into her hands as she whispered: "Giselle."

Lily turned her head away, unable to watch the heartbreak on the woman's face as she stared at the torn remains of her daughter.

"What monster could have done this?" The woman wailed, and suddenly she looked up to see the Doctor and Van Gogh.

"Get away from her!" She spat and the Doctor quickly pulled Lily up with him as he raised a hand in surrender, saying soothingly: "Okay, okay."

"Get that madman out of here!" The woman snarled as she picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at Van Gogh. He dodged it and the Doctor quickly pulled Lily into him, shielding her as the crowd all began throwing stones at Van Gogh, and consequentially the Doctor, Amy and Lily.

The Doctor led the group away quickly, and as they ducked from the stones the dead girl's mother screamed after Van Gogh: "You bring this on us. Your madness! You!"

"He's to blame!" Another woman shouted angrily after them as they ran.

They stopped in a side alley, gasping for breath. The Doctor quickly checked Lily was unhurt, before he turned to Van Gogh, asking: "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm used to it." Van Gogh replied, and Lily frowned.

"They throw rocks at you?" She asked in disbelief and the man shrugged.

"Has anything like this murder happened here before?" The Doctor asked, and Van Gogh nodded.

"Only a week ago." He replied. "It's a terrible time."

"As I thought. As I thought." The Doctor murmured.

"Come on, we'd better get you home." He added as he looked back at Van Gogh.

"Where are you staying tonight?" Van Gogh asked.

"Oh," the Doctor replied as he patted the man's shoulder, "you're very kind."

He walked off cheerily as Van Gogh stared after him.

"Yeah, sorry, he does that. But he means well." Lily apologized before she followed the Doctor quickly. Van Gogh stared after them dumbly as Amy chuckled. When he glanced at her, her smile dropped and she hastily followed the Doctor and Lily. Van Gogh paused before he placed his hat slowly on his head and followed after the strange trio.

He took the lead when they exited the alley, and as Vincent led them down several streets towards his home, the Doctor commented: "Dark night. Very starry."

Lily snorted quietly at him and he wriggled his brows at her while Vincent walked through the courtyard in front of his house, saying: "It's not much. I live on my own. But you should be okay for one night. _One_ night." He added, emphasizing his point.

As Vincent turned to light the front lantern, Amy whispered to the Doctor excitedly: "We're going to stay with him?"

"Until he paints that church." The Doctor whispered back.

he light flickered on, and Vincent told them as he pointed to something hanging right by his front door: "Watch out. That one's wet."

"What?" Amy asked confused, but her question was answered as she turned and saw the painting. She and Lily stood in awe as they stared at the original 'The Bedroom in Arles'.

Lily glanced at the Doctor but he'd already gone inside after Vincent. With one more look at the painting she followed the Doctor inside, Amy following slowly after her as the redhead also sent a final longing look at the painting. As Lily walked in, Vincent lit his lantern inside his room and her eyes widened.

"Sorry about all the clutter." Vincent apologized shortly but Lily shook her head mutely, staring around in wonder at all the paintings lining the walls and laying about the entire room.

"Some clutter." The Doctor commented somewhat dryly.

Lily chuckled a little, her eyes still wide, while Vincent said sadly: "I've come to accept the only person who's going to love my paintings is me."

Amy walked in at that moment, and she gasped: "Wow. I mean, really. Wow."

The Doctor was examining the paintings as the painter sighed: "Yeah, I know it's a mess. I'll have a proper clear out. I must, I really must."

"It's incredible." Lily whispered, and Vincent glanced at her in surprise but shrugged it off. There were several of the famous masterpieces just lying about, and some that she'd never seen before like a small one on the table of a bunch of violets. Lily was ready to cry when she spotted at her favorite painting of all time- Van Gogh's 'Almond Blossoms'.

The trio wandered around the room almost reverently, and Lily whispered to the Doctor: "This is even better than looking at the paintings in the Musée."

He grinned at her softly, but they were interrupted as Vincent called to them: "Coffee, anyone?"

"Not for me, actually." The Doctor replied as he and Lily looked over just in time to see Vincent place the coffee pot down on a still life.

Lily winced while the Doctor said hastily: "You know, you should be careful with these. They're, they're…" He trailed off as Vincent removed the pot and simply wiped the coffee stain off carelessly.

"…Precious." The Doctor muttered.

"Precious to me. Not precious to anyone else." Vincent scoffed, but Amy called out: "They're precious to me."

She popped her head in from the other room where she'd gone to look at more paintings. Vincent looked startled but he said warmly: "Well, you're very kind. And kindness is most welcome."

Lily and Amy smiled as the Doctor glanced at the man, before he said in a business-like tone: "Right, so, this church, then. Near here, is it?"

"What is it with you and the church?" Vincent asked, puzzled, and the Doctor replied airily: "Oh, just casually interested in it, you know."

Lily rolled her eyes while Vincent snorted and said pointedly, agreeing with the brunette girl: "Far from casual. It seems to me you never talk about anything else."

He raised his brows at Lily as he said: "He's a strange one."

"Yes, he is." Lily replied lightly, and the Doctor changed tact as he said: "Okay, so, let's talk about you, then. What are you interested in?"

Vincent replied as he spread his arms out to the room: "Well, look around. Art."

The Doctor smiled and his face softened. Lily leaned into him contently, listening with a soft smile as Vincent continued passionately: "It seems to me there's so much more to the world than the average eye is allowed to see."

Amy also moved over, coming closer to listen intently as Vincent said firmly: "I believe, if you look hard, there are more wonders in this universe than you could ever have dreamed of."

Lily smiled at that, and the Doctor agreed as he murmured: "You don't have to tell me."

Vincent was elated, happy to have someone who would listen and appreciate his words. Amy wandered outside after a while, wanting to look at the paintings some more. Lily leaned against the windows, zoning out while the Doctor moved to sit in a chair, as he listened to Vincent.

Lily was thinking about what she'd remembered earlier - a man's voice, not the Doctor's and yet it had to be the Doctor's. The voice that had once said the same words, she was sure of it: ' _I'm a doctor_ '.

The echo of a different voice speaking the same words reminded Lily once more of her lost memories. Or rather, it reminded her of something that had been bothering her ever since her run-in with the Dream Lord.

 _Why_ had she forgotten her past memories? That question had niggled in the back of her mind, the 'why', the reason for her wiped memories. The Doctor's surprise at her lack of recall when she'd first met him in Leadwort, had suggested that he not only knew the reason she had forgotten him, but was also equally puzzled as to why she continued not to remember him.

Lily had forgotten about it, too intrigued at the time by the strange yet amazing alien called the Doctor. But now that she was aware of the fact that she had forgotten the Doctor once in her past, Lily recalled things she'd missed in her early days of traveling with the Doctor.

The way he would look at her as though expecting her to remember him at any sudden point. Lily thought back to all the times the Doctor had looked at her hopefully only to sigh and turn away.

That had changed, though. He'd accepted it at some point… right after River, Lily realized. Something had changed after the fiasco with the Angels, when - she realized with a jolt - they'd first encountered the cracks in the wall.

 _'But, those started in Amy's room didn't they?'_ Lily thought, trying to work out the puzzle. _'And they've been following_ Amy _and the Doctor from way back, not me. But my memories were gone before I even went to Leadworth.'_

Yet, there was also the Dream Lord. When she'd mentioned the cracks, he'd looked pleased… but also maliciously triumphant. It had been that expression which had made her determined not to try to remember, because she'd realized that meant somehow, her blanketed memories would hurt the Doctor. But how? That was the question.

And then there had been his answer to her question, the question that had bothered her since the first time she'd had a flashback. _"What's my remembering got to do with the Doctor?" She asked, and the Dream Lord replied: "Everything."_

And it hit Lily like a lightning bolt.

Something had caused her to forget the Doctor; what that was, she wasn't sure yet. But it was the power of those cracks, what Calvierri had called the Silence, that was keeping her memories suppressed. She couldn't remember because the cracks were keeping her from remembering.

And if that were true, then that Time Energy would do anything to keep her from remembering. That would explain the Dream Lord's comment:

 _"Me remembering will hurt him." Lily had said and he'd murmured: "Mm, that's not quite right, but close enough."_

'Not quite right'. Because it wouldn't hurt the Doctor, exactly - it would hurt her. And that would hurt him, Lily realized. Yes, that _had_ to be it.

She was brought out of her thoughts as Vincent cried excitedly: "It's colour. Colour that holds the key. I can hear the colours. Listen to them."

She blinked, startled, while Vincent explained: "Every time I step outside, I feel nature is shouting at me. 'Come on. Come and get me. Come on. Come on!'"

He grabbed the Doctor's shoulders, making Lily jump as he shouted: "Capture my mystery!"

There was a moment's silence as the Doctor stared at Vincent wordlessly while Lily stared with wide eyes, finally focused back on the present.

"Maybe you've had enough coffee now." The Doctor said slowly, soothingly.

"How about some nice calming tea?" He suggested as Vincent sheepishly let go of him.

"Let's get you a cup of chamomile or something, shall we?" The Doctor said briskly. "Lily."

He glanced up to see the girl's pale face. He frowned and stood slowly, moving over towards her as he directed: "Amy."

When there was no response he glanced around the room, wondering aloud as he stopped before Lily: "Where's Amy?"

Lily jumped as Amy's scream rang from outside and the Doctor turned around sharply towards the sound.

"Amy!" Lily shouted in alarm, as the Doctor murmured frantically: "No, no, NO!"

He shouted the last word as he and Lily took off for the door, Vincent behind them.

*A/N Dum dum dum! Lily's slowly starting to figure things out… though, I will say that there are still a few kinks! Those will be revealed in time~ (get it, time? No? … Sorry, everyone…) And I know, I know I said I wouldn't be able to update twice per week anymore but... it's summer. I think we all deserve some treats :)


	29. 10-2 Monster?

The three ran out, the Doctor and Lily calling frantically: "Amy? Amy?"

As they dashed into the courtyard, Lily saw Amy sitting on the ground, trembling in fear and she ran over as the Doctor demanded urgently: "What happened?"

"I don't know." Amy replied shakily. "I didn't see it. I was having a look at the paintings out here when something hit me from behind."

Lily gripped the girl's shoulders, asking urgently: "You're not hurt though?"

Amy shook her head and the Doctor added soothingly: "It's okay. He's gone now and we're here."

Vincent suddenly flinched, crying out as he saw something in the corner of the courtyard: "No! No!"

They looked at him in alarm, and the Doctor walked over to the painter, saying calmly: "Take it easy."

"No!" Vincent cried in horror as he backed away from thin air and the Doctor repeated more loudly: "Take it easy!"

"What's happening?" Amy asked in fear as Lily asked urgently: "Doctor, do you think he's having an episode?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted as they watched Vincent back to the house, before he suddenly lunged for something.

"What's he doing?" Amy cried and the Doctor replied just as confused: "I just don't know."

Vincent grabbed a pitchfork and turned, pointing it at them menacingly. Lily's face whitened and her eyes widened in alarm while the Doctor muttered: "Oh, dear."

Lily hauled Amy to her feet as Vincent grunted: "Run."

They were unable to move as Vincent charged at them, but the Doctor pulled Lily out of the way with him just in time as Amy dodged to the other side. Vincent turned to them and he ordered desperately: "Run. Run!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's not a bad idea." The Doctor agreed quickly, and he cried to the girls as Vincent turned back to swing at thin air: "Lily, Amy, get back. He must be having some kind of fit."

Amy quickly dashed back to the house, ducking into the doorway but Lily frowned - Vincent had seemed rather lucid when he spoke to them, and now that Lily thought about it, he hadn't been aiming for them when he charged… he'd been aiming for something behind them.

The Doctor meanwhile dashed over to Vincent as he called: "I'll try to calm him down."

Vincent was stabbing thin air vehemently as the Doctor walked over to Vincent and soothed: "Easy, Vincent, easy."

As Vincent looked around wildly, the Doctor said hastily: "Look. Look, look, look. It's me, it's me, it's me. It's the Doctor, look."

As Vincent focused on him the Doctor said pacifyingly: "No-one else is here. So, Vincent-"

"Look out!" Vincent called sharply and Lily screamed: "Doctor!" as the Doctor was sent flying, knocked through the air by seemingly nothing.

Lily and Amy screamed as something growled and a painting that had been hanging before them and above the Doctor's fallen head was slashed by invisible claws.

"I can't see anything." Amy cried frantically. "What is it?"

The Doctor sat up, looking confused and alarmed as Vincent stabbed furiously at thin air once more… except Lily realized it wasn't thin air. It was an invisible creature that somehow only Van Gogh could see.

The Doctor mumbled in response to Amy's question: "That is a good question."

He got to his feet unsteadily and Lily called in alarm: "Doctor!"

He just shrugged and grabbed a pole from the side of the house and said to Vincent: "Let me help you."

"Oh. You can see him, too?" Vincent called in relief, but Lily's eyes grew wider as the Doctor shouted back: "Yes."

He was stabbing wildly into thin air, but Lily had noticed it was in a completely different direction from Vincent.

"Ish. Well," the Doctor added as he turned back to them and admitted with a frown, "no. Not really."

He grunted as he was sent flying once more.

"Doctor!" Lily cried as something growled loudly once more and the Doctor landed with a thud by Vincent's feet.

"You couldn't see him." Vincent said in a mix of worry and exasperation, and the Doctor replied flatly: "No. No."

Suddenly his eyes focused on something and he called: "Oi!"

He began to swing at thin air once more, when suddenly Vincent lunged at his pitchfork hit something. The invisible creature howled in pain as Vincent struggled to maintain a grip on the thing, and Amy and Lily were looking on with wide, confused eyes as there was an almighty howl of anguish and then a snarl of anger, before a scarecrow in the far side of the yard fell over as the beast apparently ran off.

Vincent chased it a little but apparently it had disappeared because he turned back to them. Amy watched with a mix of fear and confusion as Vincent walked back to the middle of the yard while Lily's eyes turned back to the Doctor who was still fighting thin air. Vincent also looked at the Doctor and he called: "He's gone."

Lily and Amy joined Vincent as the Doctor turned to them and said sheepishly: "Oh, right. Yes. Of course."

He threw aside the pole as Lily sighed at him. She walked over and he frowned at her, expecting some sarcastic or teasing remark. But he blinked in surprise as Lily wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, whispering: "You okay?"

The Doctor's face softened and he returned the embrace as she trembled a little, and he murmured: "Yes. Sorry I worried you, love."

She nodded as he kissed the top of her head while Vincent watched with some surprise and a hint of longing.

* * *

As they re-entered the house, the Doctor got back to business, speaking quickly as he thought aloud: "Right. So he's invisible. What did he look like?"

Vincent grabbed the painting of a bunch of violets as he replied: "I'll show you."

Lily's eyes widened in alarm as Vincent began to hastily paint over the painting.

"Oh…" She gasped as the Doctor also saw and he cried: "Oh, no, no."

He dashed over to stop the man, but it was already too late as the white paint had covered most of the painting underneath.

"No, no!" The Doctor groaned as Amy gasped in horror, and Vincent paused and looked at him puzzled.

"What?" He asked as Amy placed a hand over her mouth in despair and Lily almost laughed at the ironic situation, except she was too heartbroken over the loss of the painting. So, there had been a reason she'd never seen it before.

The Doctor murmured, trying to find words to say as he stared forlornly at the painting: "It's just um, that was quite a good… Oh, no."

He gave up and Vincent resumed whiting out the painting as the Doctor muttered defeatedly: "On you go."

As soon as the paint had dried enough, Vincent began to sketch a quick drawing using charcoal. They waited, and Amy and Lily exchanged somewhat excited glances at seeing the old master actually drawing right before their eyes. Lily turned back as Vincent finished and showed them what he'd drawn.

"Okay. Okay." The Doctor murmured as he examined the drawing. Lily peered at it to see what appeared to be almost a bird-like head with a large beak and a crest, but it also had large, powerful looking arms and large clawed talons on its feet.

"Right." The Doctor cleared his throat and said shortly as he grabbed the painting. "Amy, make Mr. Van Gogh comfortable."

"Don't let any invisible monsters in through the front door." He added as he grabbed Lily's hand too, and began to walk out.

Amy called worriedly: "But it could be outside, waiting." She added in a dramatic whisper.

The Doctor whispered back in a mocking dramatic tone: "Well, don't worry. I'll risk it. What's the worst that can happen?"

"You could get torn into pieces by a monster you can't see." Amy pointed out, and the Doctor paused.

"Oh right, yes, that." He agreed, but added quickly: "Don't worry, though. You think I'd risk Lily's life if I wasn't at least mostly confident it was safe?"

Amy paused while Lily frowned.

"Yes, if you thought the adventure was worth it." Lily replied at the same time Amy conceded: "No, I guess not."

The Doctor glared at Lily, and she shrugged.

"You know it's true." She pointed out. "Besides, where else would the fun come from?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her at that, before he addressed Amy once more as he announced: "I'll be back before you can say, 'where's he got to now'?"

He smiled at the other two as he pulled Lily out with him. He paused and then popped his head back inside the house as he yelled at Amy and Vincent: "Not that fast!"

Lily laughed as she heard Amy shriek in surprise and the Doctor chuckled as he added to those inside the house: "But pretty fast. See you around."

He popped back out, and led Lily off towards the Tardis.

"You really shouldn't tease them like that." Lily teased and he joked back: "You like it though."

"Never said I didn't." Lily replied back jovially and he laughed.

"Come on, you." He grinned as he broke into a run. "Let's go catch ourselves a beastie."

* * *

Lily sat in a chair by the console, waiting as the Doctor dug through a chest in the corner of Tardis. He was throwing various articles out as he said determinedly: "Right. You in here somewhere?"

Lily ducked as a book went flying over her head. The Doctor didn't notice as he continued: "I can't apologise enough. I thought you were just a useless gadget."

A blanket hit Lily in the face as the Doctor said: "I thought you were just an embarrassing present from a dull godmother with two heads and bad," he found what he'd been looking for, "breath. Twice."

"How wrong can a man be?" The Doctor crowed as Lily pulled the blanket off. The Doctor bounded back to the console, carrying a gadget that looked like a rear-view mirror on the top, attached to a stand of some kind.

As he plugged it into the Tardis, Lily asked amusedly: "Godmother with two heads?"

"She would be an okay woman otherwise, but like I said, dull, bad breath and embarrassing." The Doctor replied airily and Lily grinned. The Doctor turned the gadget on and then pulled a funny face at the mirror, sticking out his tongue.

She laughed at him as the mirror-screen showed the words: 'match found, print ready.' The machine dinged, and the Doctor quickly printed the image the machine had matched.

Lily looked over at the printed page to see the words: 'Name: Doctor' and then 'Planet: Gallifrey' printed at the top. Underneath the words was a picture of an old man.

"Good. Okay, you're working." The Doctor said happily and Lily asked curiously as the image also showed up on the gadget's screen: "That's you?"

"First incarnation." He nodded and she watched it with great interest as the image changed to show another man's face, this one slightly younger than the last.

"How many faces have you had?" She asked and then paused.

"That still sounds really weird." She laughed.

The Doctor grinned as he answered vaguely: "Quite a few."

She pouted but he turned to the gadget, saying: "Now, see what you make of this."

He reached back to grab Vincent's drawing, holding it up to the mirror as he asked it: "Who is that?"

The machine dinged, as it found a match. Lily snorted as it showed a picture of a macaw. The Doctor muttered: "No, I know it's not that. There are thousands of them and you can see them plain as day."

The machine whizzed as it searched again, before it dinged. Lily laughed out loud as a picture of a polar bear, its tongue hanging out, appeared on the screen.

"No. Definitely not." The Doctor groaned.

"This is the problem with the impressionists." He complained. "Not accurate enough. This would never happen with Gainsborough or one of those… proper painters."

"Hey." Lily protested, and the Doctor wrinkled his nose at her as he muttered: "Er, no offence, Vincent."

He then picked up the drawing, staring at it as he added: "But you will just have to draw something… better."

He tossed the painting behind him and Lily cried as it landed with a clatter: "Hey, that's a precious work of art!"

"No, it's a bad drawing of a mysterious 'monster'." The Doctor retorted as he picked up his gadget again.

"You know, someone probably said the same thing about some of Dali's work, but his paintings are still considered masterpieces." Lily returned, and the Doctor sighed.

"Fine. Sorry." He called to the painting and Lily laughed again.

As the Doctor began to strap the machine onto his chest, Lily walked over to help him, saying pointedly: "And don't think I forgot my question. Why won't you tell me how many regenerations you've had? I already know you're old."

He paused, making a face, before he sighed a little as he admitted: "This… is my eleventh face as the Doctor."

Lily raised her brows in surprise.

"Meaning you've had ten faces before this?" She asked and he nodded once, replying: "Ten Doctors before this one."

Lily remembered the faces she'd seen in the hologram the Atraxi had produced, way back when, and she asked: "How come your face keeps getting younger, though? I remember seeing them with the Atraxi in that Prisoner Zero fiasco."

He made another face as she finished slowly: "It surprised me because your faces kept getting younger but your eyes… they reflected how old you are."

She lifted a hand to gesture at his eyes vaguely, but he took it and cupped it against his cheek as he peered down at her thoughtfully. She blinked, curious as to what he was thinking.

"It started…" he finally answered, "because I was running away from something."

"Running away?" Lily asked blankly and he nodded slowly, sadly.

"Something terrible." He murmured and Lily suddenly remembered.

' _Oh… that's right. He killed his entire planet.'_ She realized and he nodded as he saw the understanding flooding her face.

He was looking thoughtful again and Lily asked softly: "What are you thinking about?"

He shrugged and she let it go, thinking he must be reliving his memories of that time. So she changed topics, trying to cheer him up as she said briskly: "Well, come on. We've got a beastie to catch." She teased and he smiled.

Taking her hand, he led her to the Tardis doors so that they could head back to Vincent's house.

What Lily didn't know was that he hadn't been thinking about the fall of Gallifrey - he'd been thinking about her question, and what she'd alluded to although she hadn't asked it exactly.

 _"Keep getting younger."_

She was right in that this was his youngest face yet- he hadn't looked this young since he had actually been twenty-seven years old, a very long time ago. What Lily didn't know was that it was most likely influenced by her - he'd missed her so much, and he loved her with both his hearts.

And that longing had probably been what had prompted his regeneration energy to subconsciously choose a younger face, one closer in physical age to Lily. He thought to himself wryly: ' _Maybe the Master was right. I might as well be a pedophile, desperately trying to hide the truth.'_

But as Lily beamed up at him as they pushed open the Tardis doors, the Doctor found he really couldn't bother to care. As long as she was by his side, nothing else mattered.

As they walked out of the Tardis, Lily saw that it was now early morning. The Doctor moved the mirror so that it pointed over his shoulder while he fiddled with the center dial. Lily noticed one of the buckles was still loose and rolled her eyes as she leaned over to buckle it tighter.

 _'I don't care if he's 907, I swear sometimes he acts five.'_ She thought fondly. She looked at the machine in surprise as it dinged while the Doctor muttered as he fixed the dial: "That's better, old girl. Time delay, but you always get it right in the end."

He shifted the screen again so that he could look at it, and Lily leaned against him so that she could see it too.

"Good." The Doctor murmured. "Let's find out who this is, then."

Lily looked to see a rough outline image of the creature, and the explanation on the side: 'Krafayis. Planet of origin uncertain.'

"Well, well," the Doctor muttered as the words appeared on the screen, "there you are."

The machine continued to print descriptions of the Krafayis: 'Nomadic pack animals. Strict dominance hierarchy. Huge territories, several solar systems wide. Preferred habitat: Planets with oxygen and nitrogen based atmospheres'.

"Oh, you poor thing." The Doctor murmured softly. "You brutal, murderous, abandoned thing."

Lily glanced at him with raised brows- those were not words one usually associated together, particularly not in that pitiful tone. He didn't notice her skepticism as he bent his head again to twist his dial again, saying determinedly: "I hope we meet again soon so I can take you home."

Lily's eyes widened as she saw something in the mirror.

"Doctor." She said in horror and glanced up at the mirror to see the creature's reflection… right behind them.

It growled, saliva dripping from its beak and the Doctor murmured under his breath: "Maybe not that soon."

"You asked for it." Lily gasped, although it ended with a shriek as the beast snarled loudly at them.

The Doctor peered over his shoulder to confirm they still couldn't actually see the thing, before he grabbed Lily's hand and they took off down the alley and into the village. The Krafayis continued to snarl and growl as it chased them, and the Doctor used the mirror-screen to keep an eye on it as he led Lily down several streets.

"Go, go go!" He ordered her as he pushed her ahead, and she did as he said as he grabbed random objects like benches and crates on the sides of the narrow streets, throwing them into the path behind them in an effort to slow the Krafayis down.

He rushed to catch up with Lily, pulling her with him to hide behind a corner. They gasped, trying to catch their breaths as the Krafayis howled from afar. The Doctor used the mirror to keep an eye on the activity around the corner, but the Krafayis didn't appear and its sounds drifted away.

"It's gone." Lily gasped, and the Doctor nodded slowly.

"For now." He added in a low voice, and Lily shrugged.

"I can live with 'for now'." She replied as they straightened up, breathing regularly once more and turned... to walk into Amy.

"Ah!" The Doctor yelled in surprise while Lily shrieked and Amy screamed, also startled.

"What?" Amy cried as the Doctor scolded, waving his hands wildly: "Never do that!"

Lily was breathing hard, her hand over her chest as her heart pumped with adrenaline. The Doctor was also breathing hard as he said to Amy with forced calm: "You scared the living daylights out of me."

He straightened his bowtie in an effort to maintain composure while Lily's heart slowly returned to its regular pace.

"Sorry." Amy muttered.

"I got bored. As much as you admire his command of colour and shape, it is hard to get fond of Vincent Van Gogh's snoring." She complained and Lily laughed, a little hysterical still from all the shock.

* * *

The Doctor threw open the door to Vincent's door, startling the snoring man inside. The Doctor yelled brightly: "Wake, wakey, rise and shine! Lily's got breakfast is served in the courtyard, don't want to miss it, she's a brilliant cook."

He threw open the windows, blinding the poor painter with all the sudden light, while commenting happily: "Whoa! What a morning."

He turned and said to the still dazed painter: "Come on."

He walked out as Vincent yawned and slowly made his way to follow.

"And Amy's got a little surprise for you." The Doctor called over his shoulder.

Vincent frowned, puzzled as to what that meant, but his question was answered as he walked outside.

"I thought I'd brighten things up to thank you for saving me last night." Amy said a little shyly as she beamed at Vincent from her seat at the porch table. Vincent smiled at her as he took in the scene before him.

Lily was just setting the tray of food on the table and the Doctor had joined her, standing at her side as he began to pour them all lemonade. Amy sat at the table, and she was surrounded by lots and lots of sunflowers in various baskets, crates, and vases.

"Ah." Vincent said in surprise, and Amy said cheerily: "I thought you might like, you know, possibly to perhaps paint them or something? Might be a thought."

Lily shared a grin with the Doctor, although she blinked in surprise as Vincent commented: "Yes, well, they're not my favourite flower."

Amy's mouth dropped open as she asked disbelievingly: "You don't like sunflowers?"

The Doctor and Lily also looked at the man curiously, surprised, while he explained to them: "No, it's not that I don't like them. I find them complex. Always somewhere between living and dying. Half-human as they turn to the sun. A little disgusting."

The trio turned to look at the sunflowers, seeing his point. Vincent added thoughtfully as he also touched a flower: "But, you know, they are a challenge."

The Doctor grinned as he replied wryly: "And one I'm pretty sure you'll rise to. But, moving on, there's something I need to show you after breakfast."

* * *

They sat inside Vincent's house, the painter holding a printout of the Krafayis the Doctor had taken from his gadget. Vincent said darkly: "That's him. And the eyes, without mercy."

"This is a creature called the Krafayis." The Doctor explained. "They travel in space." Vincent glanced at him in surprise, but didn't comment. "They travel as a pack, scavenging across the universe. And sometimes one of them gets left behind. And because they are a brutal race, the others never come back."

Lily and Amy started in shock, and Amy's face became pensive while Lily's turned pitying. The Doctor continued: "So, dotted all around the universe are individual, utterly merciless, utterly abandoned Krafayis. And what they do is, well, kill, until they're killed."

Lily wrinkled her nose, and then frowned as the Doctor added: "Which they usually aren't."

He paused, and then tacked on: "Because other creatures can't see them."

Lily sighed while Vincent turned to look at him as he said thoughtfully: "But I can."

"Yes," the Doctor replied, "and that's why we are in a unique position today, my friend," Amy sat in a chair, scratching her head in confusion, "to end this reign of terror. So, feeling like painting the church today?"

He finished randomly as he too sat in a chair, and Vincent asked confused: "What about the monster?"

"Take my word for it." The Doctor replied seriously. "If you paint it, he will come."

Vincent paused and then said with a small smile as he got up: "Okay. I'll get my things."

He walked off briskly and the Doctor called after him: "In your own time. And I promise you, we'll be out of your hair by this time tomorrow."

Vincent paused by the door to his room, glancing back at each of them in turn before he disappeared inside.

As soon as he was gone, the Doctor murmured: "This is risky."

Lily sighed, nodding as she walked over and gently massaged the Doctor's tense shoulders. Amy frowned and leaned forward, asking: "Riskier than normal?"

"Well, think about it." The Doctor explained in a low voice. "This is the middle of Vincent Van Gogh's greatest year of painting. If we're not careful, the net result of our pleasant little trip will be the brutal murder," he glanced back and ended in a sharp whisper, "of the greatest artist who ever lived."

He paused and added darkly in a regular volume: "Half the pictures on the wall of the Musée D'Orsay," he snapped his fingers to emphasize his point, "will disappear."

He paused and then said flatly: "And it will be our fault."

Amy turned away, looking stunned. Lily sighed as the Doctor leaned back defeatedly, and she soothed quietly as she ran her hands softly through his hair: "We'll figure it out somehow. You always do."

The Doctor sighed, but nodded while Amy pursed her lips determinedly.

* * *

Lily and Amy sat on the porch, waiting for the Doctor. He'd gone to check on Vincent, who was taking a longer time than they thought should be normal.

"Do you really think it'll be alright?" Amy asked worriedly, and Lily sighed.

"I don't know." She admitted quietly, and Amy nodded.

"Well, got to believe it will be, right?" She said cheerfully and Lily smiled, nodding.

"You bet. Keep hoping and somehow it'll work itself out." She agreed.

The girls shared smiles, but turned in surprise as they heard Vincent yelling. They quickly ran up to the man's bedroom door just as the Doctor walked out and leaned on the balcony grimly.

"What's happening?" Amy asked worriedly and Lily asked in concern: "Doctor?"

"We're leaving." He murmured softly, and Amy and Lily blinked.

The Doctor continued quietly: "Everyone knows he's a delicate man. Just months from now he'll," he paused, swallowing before he continued sorrowfully, "he'll take his own life."

He glanced at the girls, and when he saw Amy's face he just turned and grimly walked away back towards the house. Lily hesitated, glancing at Amy's heartbroken expression.

"Don't say that." Amy said quietly and the Doctor turned back to face her.

"Please." Amy whispered, and the Doctor just looked away sadly before he headed back into the house. Lily squeezed Amy's shoulder sympathetically before she hurried after the Doctor.

"Doctor, we can't just give up on the man." She said quietly, but the Doctor said seriously: "Lily, there is nothing we can do. Not without altering history, and you know we can't and that it's not possible."

Lily sighed, and as they walked inside, and the Doctor picked up a painting lying on the table. It was 'Prisoners Exercising' and he let out a sigh before he replaced it gently in its original position.

Amy followed slowly, looking despondent and the Doctor murmured: "Come on. We have to do this on our own. Go to the church at the right time and hope the monster still turns up."

Lily glanced back in surprise as she heard footsteps, and her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Vincent standing in the doorway with his straw hat. The Doctor and Amy also looked over in shock as Vincent said determinedly: "I'm ready. Let's go."

* * *

The four walked down the road, each carrying some art equipment as they walked towards the church. Lily and the Doctor followed behind the other two, and Lily watched as Amy walked arm in arm with Vincent, murmuring softly: "I'm sorry you're so sad. "

"But I'm not." Vincent said firmly. "Sometimes these moods torture me for weeks, for months. But I'm good now. If Amy Pond can soldier on," he said determinedly as he took her hand, "then so can Vincent Van Gogh."

Lily was surprised at that while Amy scoffed lightly: "I'm not soldiering on. I'm fine."

"Oh, Amy." Vincent said gently. "I hear the song of your sadness. You've lost someone, I think."

Lily frowned- what did that mean? She glanced at the Doctor, noting how pensive he seemed. It was as though he could relate to Vincent's words, but Lily didn't know why. She briefly considered asking him, but when he felt her eyes on him he just gave her a small smile while Amy protested to Vincent: "I'm not sad."

"They why are you crying?" Vincent asked and Amy was startled. She wiped her eyes in amazement while Lily watched puzzled.

"It's all right." Vincent told the other redhead gently. "I understand."

"I'm not sure I do." Amy murmured back, and Lily was also confused. Why was it that lately, she kept feeling as though something was missing?

Her brows furrowed even further as the Doctor interrupted: "Okay. Okay. So, now, we must have a plan."

Lily stared at him, frowning further in confusion. It felt like he was trying to change the subject… as though he didn't want Amy thinking about what they were saying too deeply.

The Doctor went on, pretending not to notice Lily's scrutiny: "When the creature returns-"

"Then we shall fight him again." Vincent said firmly, and the Doctor replied with raised brows: "Well, yes, tick."

He mimed ticking off a list, before he became serious as he said pointedly: "But last night we were lucky. Amy could have been killed, and so could Lily. So this time, for a start, we have to make sure I can see him too."

"And how are we meant to do that, suddenly?" Amy asked mockingly, but the Doctor grinned lightly as he replied: "The answer's in this box."

He tapped the box he'd put his gadget into. He walked forward as he added, causing Lily to roll her eyes amusedly: "I had an excellent, if smelly, godmother."

The Doctor paused as they saw a funeral procession coming towards them from the direction of the village.

"Oh no," Vincent murmured, "it's that poor girl from the village."

As the coffin was carried passed them, they all stood to the side with their heads bowed in silent respect. Lily's heart clenched as she saw the bouquet of sunflowers sitting on the coffin.

"That poor girl." Lily murmured, and the Doctor took her hand in his, squeezing it gently.

Once the procession had gone passed, Amy asked the Doctor quietly: "You do have a plan, don't you?"

"No. It's a thing." The Doctor replied. "It's like a plan, but with more greatness."

"And it usually works." Lily murmured as Amy looked skeptical.

"But?" The redhead prompted as she sensed there was more, and Lily replied: "But it usually only shows itself in dire situations. That's why it's not a plan - he makes it up as he goes along."

"To be fair, I do it really well." The Doctor retorted defensively as they made their way to Auvers Church.


	30. 10-3 Little Changes

As Vincent set up his easel and readied himself, the Doctor checked: "And you'll be sure to tell me if you see any, you know, monsters."

"Yes." Vincent replied lightly. "While I may be mad," he looked at the Doctor, "I'm not stupid."

"No. Quite." The Doctor replied, and as Vincent turned back to his canvas, the Doctor added softly: "And, to be honest, I'm not sure about mad either. It seems to me depression is a very complex-"

"Sh." Vincent hushed him and the Doctor stopped talking, staring at the painter.

Vincent pointed at his as yet blank canvas, murmuring: "I'm working."

Lily smiled, exchanging looks with Amy as the Doctor replied numbly: "Well, yes. Paint."

He slowly started smiling as he crowed: "Do painting!"

As Vincent began working, the Doctor continued, rambling: "I remember watching Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Wow! What a whinger. I kept saying to him, 'look, if you're scared of heights, you shouldn't have taken the job then'."

"Sh!" Amy hissed.

The Doctor went on: "And Picasso. What a ghastly old goat. I kept telling him," he walked over to grab Vincent's shoulders as he re-enacted the situation, "concentrate, Pablo."

Lily almost laughed at the irony here as the Doctor went on, distracting Vincent: "It's one eye, either side of the face."

Amy finally grabbed him, pulling him away as she scolded: "Quiet."

The Doctor sulked and Lily smiled. She nodded at Amy as the redheaded girl gave her a pointed look, and took the Doctor's hand, leading him away gently.

Lily did her best to keep the Doctor busy, but his short-attention span, which bordered on ADHD, made the task almost impossible and unbearable to both.

By the time it had been an hour, Lily was convinced she never wanted to have kids in her life. The Doctor was a handful on his own. By the time it had been two hours, Lily was ready to kill someone, with the primary target being herself. The Doctor was coming in on at a close second though.

They managed to find a happier compromise about thirty minutes later when she dragged him to the bushes to scold him after he began to annoy Amy and Vincent again, but ended up snogging him for half an hour.

But they needed air at some point and Lily was too embarrassed to stay in the bushes with their friends so close by. Although ten minutes later, when they'd gone back out into the field beside the churchyard, she wished she'd just let the Doctor wheedle her into staying in the bushes. He was back to driving her crazy - and not in a good way.

So by the time night fell, and the painting was finally almost finished, Amy was standing with her arms crossed beside Vincent, and Lily lay exhausted beside the Doctor while he was curled into a sulky ball on the ground a few paces away from Amy.

"Is this how time normally passes?" He asked at last, and Lily lifted her head to look at him.

"Really slowly." He continued petulantly. "In the right order."

He shot up and began to pace as he said bitterly: "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an unpunctual alien attack."

Lily groaned, burying her face in her hands. Amy saw her pleading look and decided to tackle the Doctor this time. She walked over to him, saying in exasperation: "Are you okay? You seem a bit… nervous."

"Yes," the Doctor replied flatly, "there's something not right and I can't quite put my finger on it…"

They were interrupted as Vincent shouted sharply: "There. He's at the window."

The Doctor spun towards Vincent immediately as Lily shot up.

"Where?" The Doctor demanded and Vincent pointed with his paintbrush as he said: "There, on the right."

It was exactly where the beast had been painted before, when they'd seen the painting at the Musée.

"As I thought." The Doctor murmured.

"Come on. I'm going in." He called over his shoulder as he began to run for the church.

"Well I'm coming too." Vincent growled as he made to get ready and the Doctor cried in alarm: "No! You're Vincent Van Gogh. No."

He sounded almost horrified, but Lily could understand why.

"But you're not armed." Vincent replied, the only one who didn't get how dire the situation would be if he died tonight.

"I am." The Doctor said quickly.

"What with?" Vincent demanded incredulously and the Doctor replied shortly: "Overconfidence, this," he patted his box, "a small screwdriver, and the knowledge that I have a beautiful, clever girlfriend waiting for me to return. I'm absolutely sorted."

Amy raised her brows while Lily shot an incredulous look at the Doctor, but the Doctor just rambled on: "Just have to find the right crosactic setting and stun him with it. Sonic never fails."

Vincent was looking confused and uncertain as the Doctor added: "Anyway, Lily, Amy, only one thought, one simple instruction."

They nodded, waiting.

"Don't follow me under any circumstances." The Doctor said seriously, giving them warning looks, and Amy and Lily replied at once: "We won't."

He gave them another stern look, glanced at Vincent and then ran inside the church alone.

Vincent leaned in and he asked: "Will you follow him?"

"Of course." Amy replied as though it was obvious - which it really was.

Vincent turned to look at her in awe, before he said: "I love you."

Amy grinned at him as Lily rolled her eyes. Amy saw it and said teasingly: "Oi, watch it. I don't complain about you and the Doctor, even when you disappear into bushes for thirty minutes at a time."

Vincent chuckled, while Lily blushed and muttered maturely: "Whatever."

Amy grinned, but then her face became grim. She paced forward as she asked Vincent, a little afraid: "Has he moved?"

Lily glanced over, also anxious, and breathed in relief as Vincent shook his head. He answered: "No. Just shifted to the next window."

Amy nodded, pacing once more as Lily wrung her hands nervously.

"But, wait!" Vincent called sharply, and the girls whipped around to face him as he told them in alarm: "He's turning now."

"Doctor!" Lily gasped, and then they heard something smash from inside and the Doctor yelp.

"Doctor!" Lily screamed as Amy cried: "Doctor?"

The brunette took off for the church, Amy right behind her as Vincent called fearfully: "Amy!"

"Doctor!" Lily called as she ran into the doorway of the chapel room just as he ran out, and he yelled in alarm: "Argh!"

As his eyes landed on Lily and then Amy behind her, he cried in exasperation: "I thought I told you. Never mind. We'll talk about it later."

He grabbed Lily and pulled her into a confessional, ordering Amy: "Quick, in here."

They shut the doors quickly behind them, Lily standing between the Doctor and Amy. It was quite a tight fit with the three, but they all froze as they heard the Krafayis snort right outside.

"Absolutely quiet." The Doctor whispered to them.

He carefully pulled back the curtains, trying to see, and then he whispered in exasperation: "Can you breath a little quieter, please?"

Amy, who'd been almost whimpering in her efforts to conceal her fear, retorted in a whisper: "No."

They froze as the Krafayis growled softly from above, but then they could hear it breathing slowly as it walked by.

"He's gone passed." Amy whispered.

"Sh!" The Doctor hushed her softly, and the three stood in silence, waiting apprehensively. Lily gripped the Doctor's hand as Amy stood wide-eyed while the Doctor glanced about.

Amy screamed and Lily shrieked as the beast smashed Amy's side of the confessional, narrowly missing Lily in the middle. The Doctor pulled Lily into his arms, covering her protectively as he muttered in a mix of fear and sarcasm: "I think he heard us."

He flinched as the Krafayis began to puncture holes on his side too, and Lily muttered as Amy continued to scream: "You think?"

"That is impressive hearing he's got." The Doctor muttered.

Amy whimpered as the whole confessional began to shake and the Doctor's grip around Lily tightened as he added urgently: "What's less impressive are our chances of survival."

Amy screamed again, this time in pure fear, when they suddenly heard Vincent's voice as he called sharply: "Hey! Are you looking for me, sonny? Come on, over here. Because I'm right here waiting for you."

Lily couldn't see him, the Doctor had her wrapped tightly in his arms, but she heard him as he began to grunt, most likely fighting the beast.

"Come on. Quickly. Get behind me." Vincent called and the Doctor pushed Amy out before pulling Lily out with him. They ran behind Vincent, who was holding his painting chair up as a weapon. The Doctor letting go of Lily as he pointed his sonic in the general direction Vincent was thrusting the chair.

"Doing anything?" The Doctor asked, and Vincent replied negative: "Uh uh."

They ran out of the church, Vincent bringing up the rear as the only person who could see the creature.

"Where is he?" The Doctor demanded frantically and Vincent retorted: "Where do you think he is, you idiot? Use your head."

There was a loud snarl and the Doctor pointed his sonic at the direction of the sound.

"Anything?" He asked and Vincent replied: "Nothing. In fact, he seemed to rather enjoy it."

"Oooh." The Doctor replied in surprise, but they all flinched back as they heard the beast snarl from the side- apparently it was circling them.

"Duck!" Vincent shouted and they did, Amy and Lily crawling to get behind Vincent, who called to the Doctor: "Left."

The Doctor dodged quickly, only to get thrown into the air. He hit the church wall, hard, and landed with a heavy thud as Amy screamed in terror while Lily cried in alarm: "Doctor!"

She ran to crouch by his side as he groaned on the ground, while Vincent said sheepishly: "Right, sorry. Your right, my left."

"Are you serious?" Lily demanded, worried, but the Doctor just held her hand as he muttered: "This is no good at all. Run like crazy and regroup."

Lily rolled her eyes as she pulled him up and Amy called in exasperation: "Oh, come on, in here."

She led them towards the crypt, and Lily ran with the Doctor, helping him as he staggered a little. They slammed the door, but it got stuck as the Krafayis jammed its foot inside. Vincent simply stamped on the creature's foot, and it withdrew it sharply with a roar.

The group hurriedly slammed the door shut, leaning on it heavily as the Doctor snapped: "Right. Okay. Here's the plan. Amy, Rory-"

"Who?" Amy asked with a frown as Lily looked at the Doctor puzzled.

"Sorry. Er, Vincent." He corrected, and Lily asked skeptically: "You got 'Rory' from 'Vincent'?"

"What is the plan?" Amy cried desperately at the same time.

The Doctor pretended not to hear Lily as he answered Amy: "I don't know, actually. My only definite plan is that in future I'm definitely just using this screwdriver for screwing in screws."

He tucked his sonic away firmly as Vincent said firmly: "Give me a second. I'll be back."

He ran off, and Amy stared after him worriedly. Her gaze became disbelieving as the Doctor suddenly piped up: "I suppose we could try talking to him."

"Talking to him?" Amy repeated incredulously and the Doctor shrugged: "Well, yes. Might be interesting to know his side of the story."

The Krafayis growled outside and the Doctor muttered: "Yes, though maybe he's not really in the mood for conversation right at this precise moment."

The Krafayis hammered on the door, and they pressed against it harder in alarm.

"Well, no harm trying." The Doctor muttered before he shouted: "Listen. Listen!"

The hammering stopped and Lily blinked in surprise. The Doctor continued in a quieter voice: "I know you can understand me, even though I know you won't understand why you can understand me. I also know that no one's talked to you for a pretty long stretch, but please, listen."

The Krafayis growled softly, and it was like it was waiting. It went silent, Lily stared in surprise, but it turned to sadness as the Doctor told it: "I also don't belong on this planet. I also am alone. If you trust me, I'm sure we can come to some kind of, you know, understanding. And then, and then, who knows?"

Lily shrieked as the window opposite them smashed in as the creature entered. The Doctor grabbed Lily, huddling over her protectively with his body as he shielded Amy behind them. He watched wide-eyed as the dust flew when the beast moved, but it was impossible to tell where it really was.

Lily clutched the Doctor's arm in fear as they tried to find the invisible creature, when suddenly Vincent jumped out, brandishing his easel as he cried: "Over here, mate!"

The Doctor pulled Lily and the three ran to stand behind Vincent as the Doctor demanded: "What's it up to now?"

"It's moving round the room. Feeling its way around." Vincent told him, and both Lily and the Doctor frowned.

"What?" He asked in confusion as Vincent ducked behind a stone table, Amy going with him.

The Doctor and Lily hid behind a pillar as Vincent described: "It's like it's trapped. It's moving round the edges of the room."

"Oh…" Lily breathed, just as Amy muttered with perfect timing: "I can't see a thing."

"I am really stupid." The Doctor murmured and Lily nodded, feeling the same way, while Amy snapped: "Oh, get a grip! This is not a moment to re-evaluate your self-esteem."

"No, I am really stupid," the Doctor snapped, eyes wide in realization, "and I'm growing old." He muttered and Lily tightened her grip on his jacket.

He glanced at her, and touched her reassuringly as he asked the others, trying to make them understand too: "Why does it attack but never eat its victims? And why was it abandoned by its pack and left here to die?"

He pulled Lily with him to duck with the others as he added: "And why is it feeling its way helplessly around the walls of the room?"

The Krafayis knocked another pole as it growled, and the Doctor explained softly: "It can't see. It's blind. Yes, and that explains why it has such perfect hearing!"

He snapped the last two words, angry at himself for not noticing earlier while Lily's face became ashen.

"Doctor!" She hissed, but it was too late. Vincent said flatly: "Which unfortunately also explains why it is now turning around and heading straight for us."

He ran out with his easel raised once more, and the group followed. The Doctor asked urgently: "Vincent. Vincent, what's happening?"

"It's charging now." He replied and he turned to them, urging them: "Get back. Get back!"

They backed away quickly, and Vincent turned back to face the beast just as the Krafayis skewered itself on his easel. It reared, lifting Vincent up into the air in the process. He yelled as Amy shrieked and Lily clutched the Doctor's arm, frightened. There was a squelching sound as the easel drove deeper and Vincent lost his grip, falling to the ground with a thud, which was followed by a louder thud as the beast also fell.

They stared at the easel that looked like it was floating in midair, but it must've hit the Krafayis's heart as the creature gurgled painful moans. The trio walked over slowly as Vincent stared down at the creature, taking off his hat and holding it respectfully while he murmured: "He wasn't without mercy at all. He was without sight."

The Doctor bent down beside the moaning creature, and Lily placed a hand on his shoulder, a hand pressed to her mouth sorrowfully as they saw a dark liquid spot beginning to spread on the floor.

"I didn't mean that to happen." Vincent continued shakily. "I only meant to wound it, I never meant to-"

The Krafayis gurgled a little and the Doctor murmured: "He's trying to say something."

"What is it?" Vincent asked, and the Doctor murmured: "I'm having trouble making it out, but I think he's saying, 'I'm afraid. I'm afraid'."

Amy took Vincent's hand, leaning on him as Lily clutched the Doctor's shoulder tightly. The Doctor soothed the beast, saying softly: "There, there. Shush, shush. It's okay, it's okay. You'll be fine. Sh."

The beast breathed its last and the Doctor sighed in sorrow, lowering his face into his hand. The Doctor stood up and paced away abruptly as Vincent murmured: "He was frightened, and he lashed out. Like humans who lash out when they're frightened. Like the villagers who scream at me. Like the children who throw stones at me."

Amy looked at him sadly, and touched his shoulder, comforting him. Lily turned to walk over to the Doctor as he spat: "Sometimes winning, winning is no fun at all."

He turned his head away, but Lily gently touched his arm. He looked down at her with burning eyes, fighting the despair and anger that came with sorrow. Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around him, and he bowed his head. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair as they mourned the loss together.

* * *

Later that night, the four of them lay down in the field outside the church. Lily and Amy lay together while the Doctor and Vincent lay out to the sides of their ladies, so that they lay like spokes in a circle. Lily was holding the Doctor's hand, and she grasped Amy's in her other hand as well.

The other girl tightened her grip, the two finding comfort in each other, while the Doctor stayed pensive. Vincent took Amy's other hand gently, and then reached out his other for the Doctor's.

"Hold my hand, Doctor." He murmured, and the Doctor glanced over before obliging.

"Try to see what I see." Vincent said softly. "We are so lucky we are still alive to see this beautiful world. Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character. The black is in fact deep blue. And over there," he lifted his entwined hands with the Doctor, pointing, "lighter blue."

Lily closed her eyes as she listened: "And blowing through the blueness and the blackness, the wind swirling through the air and then, shining, burning, bursting through, the stars. Can you see how they roar their light?"

And Lily could. In her mind's eye, she saw the colors as Vincent saw them, and she could see the sky as Van Gogh could when he painted the 'Starry Night.' It made her think of a quote she'd read by Van Gogh himself: _'I dream of painting, and then I paint my dream.'_

"Everywhere we look, the complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes." Vincent said in awe, and the Doctor murmured: "I've seen many things, my friend. But you're right. Nothing quite as wonderful as the things you see."

Vincent and the Doctor shared smiles, but when he turned to Amy, his face became forlorn and he murmured sadly: "I will miss you terribly."

Lily sighed, and she and the Doctor turned to each other at the same time. They shared a sorrow-filled look, knowing what was to come in only a year. Lily leaned her head in closer to his, resting hers against his shoulder and the Doctor gently kissed the top of her head with a small sigh.

* * *

The next morning, the trio stood in shock and absolute delight. Vincent was saying ruefully: "I only wish I had something of real value to give you."

Amy laughed in glee as the Doctor held the 'Self-portrait in a Straw Hat' before him, beaming with joy as Lily clutched his arm ecstatically.

"Oh, no, no, no." The Doctor said half-heartedly. "I could never accept such an extraordinary gift."

But his hand didn't want to let go, and Amy and Lily's eyes were silently pleading. But he knew they couldn't, and they knew they couldn't. Lily sighed as Vincent took the painting back.

"Very well." He said dejectedly. "You're not the first to decline the offer."

 _If only he knew_ , Lily thought as she winced and the Doctor flailed his hands anxiously as Vincent carelessly manhandled his painting. The painted didn't notice as he opened his arms wide, saying: "Amy, the blessed, the wonderful."

Amy smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, and then hugged him tightly, saying: "Be good to yourself, and be kind to yourself."

"I'll try my best." Vincent replied, and Amy added teasingly: "And maybe give the beard a little trim before you next kiss someone."

"I will, I will." He said lightly as he laughed a little.

"And if you tire of the Doctor, return, and we will have children by the dozen." He cried in delight, and Amy tried not to show her horror as she replied: "Eek."

Lily chuckled and Amy smiled while Vincent turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor, my friend." He said as he shook the other man's hand. "Perhaps you could still return, with Lily and Amy. And perhaps with your own children too, next time."

He nodded at Lily. Her eyes widened as the Doctor's mouth dropped in shock., but Vincent didn't notice as he mused: "We have fought monsters together and we have won."

He sighed and then admitted: "On my own, I fear I may not do as well."

The Doctor's face softened as he examined the other man, but he didn't say anything as he hugged the man. Lily's face became pensive as they said their goodbyes and left slowly, but she wondered if she should broach the topic. Thankfully, the Doctor started it himself.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked excitedly and Lily smiled while Amy replied thoughtfully: "I was thinking I may need some food or something before we leave."

Lily laughed as the Doctor's face fell and he muttered: "Well, no, you're not thinking exactly what I'm thinking."

He turned to Lily. She nodded and he grinned again.

"Vincent!" The Doctor shouted as he turned back. The man appeared in his window, shirtless, and the Doctor called: "I've got something I'd like to show you. Maybe just tidy yourself up a bit first."

Amy looked confused, a look Vincent shared as he stared down at the trio in bewilderment, but Lily just smiled softly.

* * *

The Doctor rambled as they walked down the alley, saying to Vincent excitedly: "Now, you know we've had quite a few chats about the possibility there might be more to life than normal people imagine?"

"Yes." Vincent replied confused and the Doctor smiled.

"Well, brace yourself, Vinny." The Doctor said and Lily and Amy laughed. The Doctor opened the Tardis, letting Vincent go in first. The man took one look inside and stepped back out. Lily, Amy and the Doctor laughed as they enjoyed his amazement as he checked the Tardis from the outside and then the inside.

Vincent finally turned to them, stared, turned back and walked into the Tardis for the final time saying: "How come I'm the crazy one, and you three have stayed sane?"

Lily laughed as they followed Vincent in.

He wandered over to the console, asking curiously: "What do these things all do?"

"Oh, a huge variety of things." The Doctor replied lightly. "This one here, for instance, plays soothing music." He demonstrated. "While this one makes a huge amount of noise."

He glanced at Lily, who nodded enthusiastically. He pressed it and the Tardis engine whirred.

"And this one makes everything go absolutely tonto." The Doctor said before he pulled the lever and the Tardis jerked as it began to wheeze.

Vincent stumbled around, before he laughed in delight, Amy joining him. He clutched the console for support and then pointed to a button, asking curiously: "And this one?"

"That's a friction contrafibulator!" The Doctor cried in alarm, stopping him from getting close in case he accidentally touched it.

"And this?" He asked, and the Doctor replied: "That's ketchup. And that one's mustard."

"Mmm, nice." Vincent murmured amusedly. "Come on, back to the cafe and you can tell me about all the wonders of the universe."

"Good idea." The Doctor replied lightly. "Although," he spun Vincent back to the doors as they landed again, "actually, there's a little something I'd like to show you first."

They led Vincent outside, finding themselves back outside the Musée d'Orsay.

"Where are we?" Vincent asked as he looked around in wonder, and the Doctor replied: "Paris, 2010 AD. And this," he indicated the building, "is the mighty Musée D'Orsay, home to many of the greatest paintings in history."

"Oh, that's wonderful." Vincent beamed, but he was distracted by two boys walking past who were listening to a radio.

As Vincent stared, the Doctor said impatiently: "Ignore that. I've got something more important to show you."

As they walked through the art museum, Vincent looked around with wide-eyed amazement, taking in all the sights, but the trio led him insistently through the exhibitions, wanting to show him the grand finale. He was so absorbed in the other paintings he missed the sign labeled: 'Van Gogh', and so when he walked into the exhibition, all he could do was stare, frozen.

Vincent looked around at all his artworks placed up for display, his mouth parting slightly from the shock. He turned to the Doctor, who spread his arms wide with a pleased grin. Amy watched with a small smile, while Lily watched with a sad one as Vincent could only stand in wonder.

The Doctor walked over to the curator, saying as he brought the man forward and within hearing distance for Vincent: "Doctor Black, we met a few days ago. I asked you about the church at Auvers."

Amy turned Vincent away from his paintings so that he could listen as Doctor Black answered: "Oh, yes. Glad to be of help. You were nice about my tie."

Lily watched from a distance as the Doctor smiled and said: "Yes. And today is another cracker if I may say so."

He gestured at it, before saying seriously: "But I just wondered, between you and me, in a hundred words," the Doctor glanced at Vincent to make sure he was listening, "where do you think Van Gogh rates in the history of art?"

Vincent glanced over and then turned away, preparing for the worst as Doctor Black said thoughtfully: "Well, big question, but to me, Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all."

Vincent turned in shock, his eyes welling with tears. He was unable to believe his ears as Doctor Black went on: "Certainly, the most popular great painter of all time. The most beloved. His command of colour, the most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty."

Vincent turned back to look around at the people enjoying his work as Doctor Black continued earnestly: "Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world. No one had ever done it before. Perhaps no one ever will again. To my mind, that strange, wild man who roamed the fields of Provence was not only the world's greatest artist, but also one of the greatest men who ever lived."

Vincent began to sob, the tears overflowing. The Doctor was beaming as he glanced over, but he immediately became concerned and said cautiously as he walked back over: "Vincent. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Is it too much?"

As Vincent sobbed, the Doctor patted him gently. Amy and Lily watched with tears of their own as Vincent finally managed to say: "No."

He sniffed.

"They are tears of joy. Thank you, sir." He said as he went up to Doctor Black, and kissed the man on both cheeks before hugging him.

"Thank you." Vincent cried while Doctor Black replied, startled: "You're welcome. You're welcome."

Vincent let go and turned away, before he added tearfully: "Sorry about the beard."

Doctor Black turned away, and Lily watched him turn back sharply, mouthing in shock: 'No'. Her lips twitched and she turned to follow the Doctor out.

* * *

"This changes everything." Vincent cried as he stepped out of the Tardis, back in his own time. "I'll step out tomorrow with my easel on my back a different man."

He paused and then added to the Doctor morosely: "I still can't believe that one of the haystacks was in the museum. How embarrassing."

Amy and Lily laughed as the Doctor said with a wide smile: "It's been a great adventure and a great honour."

He finished meaningfully as he shook the other man's hand, and Vincent jested: "You've turned out to be the first doctor ever actually to make a difference to my life."

"I'm delighted." The Doctor replied happily. "I won't ever forget you."

The Doctor turned and led Lily back inside the Tardis. As soon as they were in and out of sight, Lily's tears welled and the Doctor pulled her into a tight hug. She sobbed just once, burying her head in his chest as he murmured softly: "I know."

They broke apart as Amy walked in and said excitedly: "Come on. Let's go back to the gallery right now."

She looked at Lily in alarm and she asked: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Lily answered, giving her friend a small smile. "Just emotional saying goodbye, is all."

Amy grinned and chattered on happily as the Doctor took them back. Lily listened with a ever heavier heart, especially as Amy said happily as she stepped out of the Tardis: "Time can be re-written. I know it can."

She hurried on ahead towards the Musée. As Lily and the Doctor followed slowly, she called impatiently: "Come on!"

She waved them forward as she said happily: "Oh, the long life of Vincent Van Gogh. There'll be hundreds of new paintings."

She spun excitedly and the Doctor finally warned lightly: "I'm not sure there will."

Amy didn't listen as she raced towards the Van Gogh exhibition, calling to them impatiently: "Come on!"

She walked in ahead eagerly, looking around expectantly. Her face fell when she saw only the same paintings and heard Doctor Black saying to another group of tourists: "We have here the last work of Vincent Van Gogh, who committed suicide at only thirty seven-"

Her face crumpled in pain, and her eyes closed against the pain as the Doctor and Lily stood by the entrance to the exhibition. Lily's tears were falling silently down her face as Amy turned to them and said with forced neutrality: "So you were right. No new paintings."

Her eyes filled with tears as she whispered dejectedly: "We didn't make a difference at all."

"I wouldn't say that." The Doctor replied gently. He hugged Lily sideways as he said to both girls softly: "The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things."

Tears started to fall down Amy's face too, and the Doctor soothed: "Hey."

Lily reached out and hugged the girl, and Amy buried her head in the brunette's curls. The Doctor patted both girls as he went on gently: "The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant. And we definitely added to his pile of good things."

Amy sniffled and lifted her head from Lily's shoulder. The Doctor gently took their hands as he said: "And, if you look carefully," he led them over to the painting of the church, "maybe we did indeed make a couple of _little_ changes."

He mused as they stared at the windows of the church.

"No Krafayis." Amy murmured, and the Doctor agreed: "No Krafayis."

Lily glanced to the side, and then she nudged Amy. The redhead looked at her friend and Lily gently pointed to a painting on the other side of the room. Amy slowly walked over to it as the Doctor turned to see what the girls were looking at.

His eyes softened and he stood beside Lily as Amy stopped before the 'Still Life with Twelve Sunflowers'. The pair slowly walked over and Lily saw that on the vase was written the words 'For Amy'.

And signed right underneath: 'Vincent.'

"Oh, Vincent." Lily sighed, leaning against the Doctor.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her in comfort as Amy murmured thickly: "If we had got married, our kids would have had very, _very_ red hair."

"The ultimate ginger." The Doctor mused with a small chuckle, and Amy replied with a small, sad smile: "The ultimate ginge."

They laughed lightly, although it was a little watery from the girls. Amy took a deep breath and murmured as the trio stood before the painting: "Brighter than sunflowers."


	31. 11-1 The Lodger

The Tardis wheezed and the Doctor popped his head out the doors before he sighed: "No, Amy, it's definitely not the fifth moon of Cindie Colesta."

He took a step out and Lily popped her head out too.

"Is it you, or the Tardis, when you get destinations wrong?" Lily asked curiously and the Doctor looked at her, unamused.

"Amy's still going to complain." Lily pointed out and then added as she looked around: "Is this London?"

The Doctor shook his head and as he peered into the distance, he murmured: "I'd say a small neighborhood, although it is England. I think I can see a Ryman's."

Suddenly, there was an explosion from behind, throwing Lily and the Doctor to the ground, Lily landing right on top of the Doctor. But what alarmed Lily was the sound- the Tardis was wheezing again. She flipped over as the Doctor cried in alarm: "Amy!"

"Amy!" Lily shouted as the Tardis disappeared.

"Doctor, Amy!" Lily called despairingly while he sat numbly staring at the empty spot where the Tardis had been. The pair were stranded somewhere in England, without the Tardis and with Amy possibly in danger, and no means of reaching her.

* * *

The Doctor rang on the doorbell, and waited impatiently while Lily stood patiently beside him as they stood before the house that Amy's note had pointed them out to. Which was funny, because Amy hadn't written it, meaning it would happen in her future.

And if she had sent it, that meant the Doctor had probably sent it, and it would help them figure out the reason the Tardis had disappeared as it had. Lily fixed his Bluetooth earpiece for him as he dislodged it slightly when he ran a hand through his hair impatiently.

They smiled as the door opened, but Lily blinked in surprise while the Doctor raised a brow as a pudgy man, about the Doctor's physical age, blurted out to them: "I love you."

The man's face also fell- clearly, they weren't what he'd been expecting either. The Doctor commented, taking the situation in stride: "Well, that's good, because we're your new lodgers."

He glanced down and added as he grabbed the set of fluffy pink keys the man had been holding: "Do you know, this is going to be easier than I expected."

The man looked at him blankly and the Doctor just gave him a cheery smile. The man protested in shock: "But I only put the advert up today. I didn't put my address."

"Well, aren't you lucky I came along?" The Doctor replied lightly before he glanced up at the top floor of the house.

"More lucky than you know." He added darkly as Lily also glanced up.

The Doctor then went on, quoting the advert: "Less of a 'young professional', more of an ancient amateur, but frankly I'm an absolute dream."

Lily grinned as she remembered the funny ad: 'Twenty seven year old male, non-smoker, four hundred pound per calendar month, suit young professional'.

The man blinked before he shook his head and said frantically, although he glanced curiously at Lily: "Hang on a minute, mate. I don't know if I want you staying. And give me back those keys. You can't have those." He added as he took the keys back.

"Yes, quite right." The Doctor replied. "Have some rent."

He handed the man a paper bag, and Lily saw his eyes bulge as he took in the amount of money inside. The Doctor saw it and he said sheepishly: "That's probably quite a lot, isn't it? Lily said it was a lot. Is it a lot? I can never tell."

The man just mouthed, looking a little like a goldfish.

"Oh, by the way," the Doctor pulled Lily to his side with a smile, "Lily's lodging too, she's not a 'twenty seven year old male', but consider her the 'young professional' criteria."

The man looked surprised once again, but he seemed to relax just a little bit at the sight of the Doctor hugging Lily. Lily suppressed a smile at that, knowing the Doctor had done it on purpose.

The blurted confession, the pink keys he was so possessive over, and the incredibly specific ad; this man had a girl he fancied, but either she wasn't interested in him (hence the ad) or he was too cowardly (more likely given his abrupt confession).

Now more assured the Doctor wasn't going to steal his girl and overwhelmed by the cash he'd been given, the flat owner let them inside the house. The Doctor said to the man as they stepped in: "Don't spend it all on sweets, unless you like sweets."

He was distracted as they saw the upstairs lights flickering ominously. The Doctor continued absently: "I like sweets. Ooo."

He suddenly turned back to the owner and gave him air kisses on each cheek. The man looked puzzled while Lily rolled her eyes.

"That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it?" The Doctor said cheerily. "I'm the Doctor. Well," he turned back to the flickering lights as he rambled, "they call me the Doctor. I don't know why. I call me the Doctor, too. Still don't know why."

He turned back to the man, who looked completely bewildered.

"Oh, and this is Lily Tyler." The Doctor added and Lily waved as she commented: "You'll be happy to know everyone calls me Lily, and I know why."

"It's your name, isn't it?" The Doctor asked, and she said: "Precisely."

She turned back to the flat owner as she added: "I call him the Doctor, too."

Lily gestured at the Doctor, who beamed, and the man blinked and then seemed to regain himself as he introduced: "Craig Owens. The Doctor?" He added questioningly.

"Yep." The Doctor replied shortly.

"Who lives upstairs?" He added randomly, glancing back up the stairs.

"Just some bloke." Craig shrugged, and Lily's eyes narrowed.

The Doctor also focused intently on Craig as he asked: "What's he look like?"

Craig shrugged again as he replied: "Normal. He's very quiet."

There was a crash upstairs and they all glanced up. The Doctor continued to look up at the ceiling as Craig added: "Usually."

The Doctor turned and guided Lily before him as he strolled into the first flat, probably Craig's, as though he owned the place. Craig called after them, sounding completely confused, and a little annoyed as he followed them: "Sorry, who are you again? Hello? Excuse me?"

The Doctor ignored him as he spotted a patch of what looked like damp in a top corner of Craig's flat, right by where the upstairs flat would be. The Doctor asked lightly: "Ah. I suppose that's… dry rot?"

"Or damp." Lily suggested, looking at him amusedly.

"Or mildew." Craig added as he also looked up.

"Or none of the above." The Doctor muttered, and Craig said dismissively: "I'll get someone to fix it."

"No, I'll fix it." The Doctor piped up. "I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister."

Lily raised her brows at him, but he was already regretting his words as he added flatly: "No, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister. This is," he added as he turned and began to wander around the flat, "the most beautiful parlour I have ever seen. You're obviously a man of impeccable taste."

He sat himself on the counter as he said all in one breath: "I can stay, Craig, can't I? Say I can."

Lily almost burst out laughing as poor Craig looked completely bewildered while he protested: "You haven't even seen the room."

"The room?" The Doctor repeated, sounding confused.

"Your room." Craig explained, but the Doctor continued to look confused as he asked: "My room?"

Lily widened her eyes when he glanced at her, hinting silently. He understood at last and said hastily: "Oh, yes. My room."

"Our room." Lily corrected, and the Doctor paused before he added amusedly: "Take us to our room."

Craig led them down the hall into a room that was decorated in eighties patterns and the pair looked around with interest as Craig explained: "Yeah, this is Mark's old room. He owns the place. Moved out about a month ago. This uncle he'd never even heard of died and left a load of money in the will."

"How very convenient." The Doctor murmured as he looked around.

Lily was examining the dresser when Craig added, looking a little embarrassed: "Er, there's only the one bed…"

"Oh, that's alright, we'll manage. Lily's not big at all, so it won't even be that much of a squeeze." The Doctor replied airily.

Lily laughed as she saw Craig's uncertain face, particularly when he glanced at Lily shyly and blushed beet red. The Doctor continued, oblivious: "This'll do just right. In fact-"

There was another crash from above, and the Doctor licked his finger before testing the air with it. Craig stared at his odd behavior with a frown as the Doctor murmured: "No time to lose."

He turned to Craig as he went on firmly: I'll take it. Ah." He added and Craig looked startled as the Doctor said cheerily: "You'll want to see my credentials. There."

He pulled out his psychic paper, saying as he showed it to Craig briefly: "National Insurance number."

He flipped it behind his back, and raised it in his other hand as he added: "NHS number."

He flipped it again and finished: "References."

Craig's eyes bulged and as the Doctor folded his paper away, Craig asked incredulously: "Is that a reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?"

"I'm his special favourite." The Doctor replied nonchalantly.

"He really is." Lily added when Craig glanced at her skeptically.

"So, if you're married, how come neither of you are wearing rings?" Craig asked uncertainly.

"What?" Lily asked blankly while the Doctor blinked.

"Well, your credentials," Craig gestured vaguely at the Doctor's hand, "said you two were married."

"Ah, yes." The Doctor said hastily, trying to save the situation. "We only registered, not the ceremony yet. Never seemed to quite find the time; we've been travelling you see. Are you hungry? I'm hungry." He added randomly.

He waltzed out of the room, taking Lily with him as he steered her before him again while Craig looked befuddled, overwhelmed by the Doctor's sudden switches in conversations. He blinked and then added hastily as he followed them back to his flat: "I haven't got anything in."

The Doctor ignored him again as he peered into Craig's fridge. He began to grab some ingredients, before shutting Craig's fridge door once more as he proclaimed: "You've got everything I need for an _omelette_ ," he suddenly switched to a French accent, " _fines herbes, pour trois_."

He cracked the eggs into a frying pan as he asked in his regular voice: "So, who's the girl on the fridge?"

Craig glanced back at the photograph Lily was examining, and he explained: "My friend. Sophie."

Lily was looking at the postcard on his fridge with great interest - it was of Vincent's 'Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat'. She felt a pang as she looked at it, but focused back on Craig as the Doctor asked lightly: "Girlfriend?"

"A friend who is a girl." Craig corrected. "There's nothing going on."

He sounded dejected and Lily gave his arm a sympathetic pat as the Doctor replied: "Oh, that's completely normal. Works for me."

He began to grate cheese onto the eggs as Craig retorted: "Well, you're married."

"Er, how'd you two meet?" Lily asked hastily, steering the conversation away from their fake married status as the Doctor made a face.

"We met at work about a year ago, at the call centre." Craig told her as the Doctor said pointedly while grinding some pepper into the omelet: "Oh really, a communications exchange? That could be handy."

"Firm's going down though." Craig said in an annoyed tone. "The bosses are using a totally rubbish business model."

The Doctor was throwing in some ham as Craig sighed: "I know what they should do. I got a plan all worked out. But I'm just a phone drone, I can't go running in saying I know best."

The Doctor nodded in agreement, and Craig asked with a small embarrassed laugh: "Why am I telling you this? I don't even know you two."

"Well, I've got one of those faces." The Doctor shrugged. "People never stop blurting out their plans while I'm around."

Lily snorted in amusement, while the Doctor added as he began to mix the ingredients in the pan: "And then, Lily's just adorable with a big heart. Best choice to pour your heart out to, in my opinion. She's smart too, so she might be able to help you with your problem."

Craig glanced at Lily in surprise and she grinned at him.

"He's exaggerating just because I'm cleverer than him." She told him, and the Doctor retorted: "Oi."

"You need to turn the stove on, love." She told him pointedly, and he froze for a second.

Craig blinked while the Doctor muttered sulkily: "I knew that."

She just grinned at him, amused.

Craig smiled a little wryly at them, and then he remembered something and he asked: "Right. Where's your stuff?"

"Oh, don't worry," the Doctor told him as the pair turned to face the man, "it'll materialise. If all goes to plan." He finished meaningfully.

* * *

"Oh," Craig sighed contently as he leaned back in his armchair, "that was incredible."

Lily smiled as she set her plate down as well, feeling very satisfied. She was sitting on the arm of the Doctor's sofa, and the Doctor had an arm wrapped loosely around her side as they all finished eating. And Lily had to admit that, while the Doctor didn't cook that often – they were usually too busy running – he was incredible when he did.

The Doctor was making sure he didn't have food on his face as Craig asked him in awe: "That was absolutely brilliant. Where did you learn to cook?"

"Paris," the Doctor replied nonchalantly, "in the eighteenth century. No, hang on, that's not recent, is it?" He asked as he glanced at Craig.

"Seventeenth?" He tried again, and Lily shook her head.

"No, no, no. Twentieth. Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order." He said sheepishly while Craig stared at him funnily.

Lily snorted when Craig asked flatly: "Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?"

The Doctor suppressed a smile and he replied lightly: "They never really stop."

Lily laughed again and he grinned at her. He wrapped both arms around her, as she asked Craig: "Ever been to Paris, Craig?"

"Nah. I can't see the point of Paris." The man replied with disinterest. "I'm not much of a traveller."

"I can tell from your sofa." The Doctor commented as he nodded to what Craig was saying. Both Lily and Craig frowned at him.

"My sofa?" Craig repeated.

"You're starting to look like it." The Doctor told him, and Lily suppressed a smile even as she whacked his arm lightly for being rude.

"Thanks, mate, that's lovely." Craig said sarcastically, though.

"No, I like it here." He added more seriously. Lily noticed he was absently stroking the pink fluffy keychain on the flat keys he'd been holding when they met.

"I'd miss it," Craig went on, "I'd miss-"

"Those keys." The Doctor piped up, and Craig blinked at him.

"What?" He asked and the Doctor pointed out: "You're sort of… fondling them."

"I'm holding them." Craig said defensively as he dropped them quickly.

"Right." The Doctor muttered sarcastically, but Craig chose to ignore it as he got up, saying: "Anyway. These," he fetched a set of keys from a cabinet by his door, "these are your keys."

"We can stay?" The Doctor asked delightedly and Craig chuckled: "Yeah, you're weird, and you can cook. Your wife seems more normal. It's good enough for me."

Both Lily and the Doctor chuckled with him, before Craig said as he pointed out each key: "Right. Outdoor, front door, your door."

The Doctor said amusedly as he took the keys: "My door. My place. My gaff. Ha ha! Yes. Me with a key."

Lily laughed with him, the pair finding the situation rather amusing. The Doctor pocketed the keys and Lily wandered back to fetch the plates and place them in the sink. Craig glanced at her, and then murmured to the Doctor in a serious undertone: "And listen, Mark and I, we had an arrangement where if you ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout, okay?"

He winked at the Doctor, who nodded, giving the man a mysterious look. He paused, and when Craig didn't say anything more he asked in the same serious, low tone, having not understood: "Why would I want that?"

Craig looked at him and said as though it was obvious: "In case you and Lily, you know, want to have some privacy. The walls in these flats are rather thin, so I'd also appreciate it more if you let me know in advance anyway."

The Doctor, finally understanding, replied quickly: "Oh, I will. I'll shout if that happens. Although I doubt it, so rest assured." He added as he tapped Craig's cheek,

Craig frowned, confused, while Lily asked as she walked over: "Doubt what?"

"Men's talk." The Doctor replied, and Lily lifted her brow.

"You? Men's talk?" She asked amusedly, and the Doctor mock-frowned at her, before he turned back to Craig and added: "By the way, that."

He jerked his head at the ceiling and Craig looked at what the Doctor had indicated.

"The rot." The Doctor continued in a half-warning tone. "I've got the strangest feeling we shouldn't touch it."

Craig paused, looking warily at the rot while the Doctor patted his shoulder and walked out with Lily. Once they were back inside their newly acquired room, Lily asked amusedly: "Married?"

"Don't start," the Doctor grimaced, "I don't know why that happened."

"Hm, was I supposed to take that as an indirect proposal?" Lily teased, and blinked when the Doctor said very quickly: "No. Why would you?"

"Okay, okay." Lily soothed, startled.

"I was just kidding. Why aren't you?" She asked confused and the Doctor replied hastily: "Nothing. So, about this damp."

He changed subjects abruptly. Lily raised her brows but went along with it as he said thoughtfully: "Looks like we were right."

"And in this case, I don't know if I'm sure that's a good thing." Lily sighed.

The Doctor simply flopped down onto the bed as he switched on his Bluetooth device, which he'd manipulated, and called: "Earth to Pond, Earth to Pond."

Lily grinned, appreciating the joke, although it was slightly grim. While it looked like they were in possibly more danger, she was still worried about her friend stuck alone on the Tardis.

"Come in, Pond." The Doctor called, and then he suddenly winced, jerking in shock as he grabbed his device and his ear in pain. Lily winced sympathetically- she could hear the feedback from where she was standing by the dresser.

"Could you not wreck my new earpiece, Pond?" The Doctor snapped at Amy, before he asked: "How's the Tardis coping?"

After a pause he wrinkled his nose.

"Oooh, nasty." He murmured sympathetically as he sat up. "She's locked in a materialisation loop, trying to land again but she can't."

Lily sat beside him on the bed, and he pulled her onto his lap as he replied to a question Amy must've asked: "I don't know what it is yet. Anything that can stop the Tardis from landing is big. Scary big." He added as he looked up at the ceiling with wide eyes.

Lily also looked up, pursing her lips thoughtfully. The Doctor added: "I can't go up there until I know what it is and how to deal with it. And it is vital that this 'man'," he made air quotes around the word, "upstairs doesn't realise who and what I am."

"So no sonicing." Lily murmured and he nodded as he confirmed, speaking to both girls: "No advanced technology. I can only use this," he indicated his earpiece, "because we're on scramble. To anyone else hearing this conversation, we're talking absolute gibberish."

Lily smirked.

"So if Craig tries to listen in, he's going to hear you saying complete nonsense?" She asked, and the Doctor nodded.

"Beats what he thought he'd be subject to." The Doctor added in a mutter and Lily frowned.

"What?" She asked and the Doctor glanced at her quickly before he muttered: "Nothing."

He then said, including Amy again as he gently placed Lily on the bed and stood up: "Now all I've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?"

Lily raised her brows, and she could almost hear Amy's shared skepticism. The Doctor pouted, indicating she was right in her guess.

"So you're just going to be snide." He said dryly as he put on a pair of sunglasses. "No helpful hints?"

He paused and then he said defensively: "Bow ties are cool."

Lily snorted at that, and he pouted at her. She raised her hands in surrender as he went on, speaking to both girls in an annoyed tone: "Come on, you two, I'm a normal bloke. Tell me what normal blokes do."

He removed the sunglasses as Lily let Amy reply. He suddenly went a little red, blushing as he snapped: "No, not that."

"What'd she say?" Lily asked and the Doctor shook his head quickly.

Amy must've added something because he sighed: "I could do those things. I don't, but I could."

Suddenly there was another bang from upstairs. Both Lily and the Doctor looked up immediately, and the Doctor said quickly: "Hang on. Wait, wait, wait. Amy?"

"Doctor." Lily piped up as she stared at the clock on the dresser. He looked at what she was looking at to see the clock hands whirring madly, going forwards and then backwards rapidly, over and over again.

"Interesting." He murmured.

He checked his watch to see that it was doing the same thing and said thoughtfully: "Localised time loop."

Amy must've asked something, because he explained: "Time distortion. Whatever's happening upstairs is still affecting you."

"Is she alright?" Lily asked concernedly and the Doctor replied airily: "Oh, she'll be fine. The Tardis will just be spinning incredibly as she fights the effects of the localised time loop to prevent from being blown apart, so Amy's just getting thrown around a bit."

Lily's eyes widened and the Doctor paused.

"Okay, it sounded bad. But she will be alright." He reassured.

As if to prove his point, he replied to something Amy asked: "My end's good."

He paused and then added: "No, no, no, not really. Just keep the zigzag plotter on full. That'll protect you." He instructed and Lily sighed.

"She won't know what that is." She pointed out and the Doctor paused.

He said to Amy: "What, you're standing with the door behind you?"

When she replied, he told her: "Okay, take two steps to your right and pull it again."

He turned to the room as he added with a sigh: "Now, I must not use the sonic. I've got work to do."

He began pulling out random items like a spare lightbulb and extension cords.

"Need to pick up a few items." He muttered and he switched Amy off.

"Coming?" He asked Lily and she grinned wryly.

"Late night date it is, then." She said lightly, and he chuckled.

"Date night where we try to find out what alien is creating the time loop, and how." He joked.

"And why." Lily pointed out as they left the flat, heading off to the nearest hardware store.


	32. 11-2 Normal

The next morning, Lily rolled her eyes as she sat on the bedroom floor. The Doctor was in the bathroom, singing very loudly as he showered: "Ta ra ra boom de ay quanda rilo."

She was sitting reading a book but looked up in surprise as she heard Craig call, annoyed: "Doctor."

"Hello?" The Doctor called back, and Craig asked irritably: "How long are you going to be in there?"

Lily sighed as she realized Craig must've been waiting for the bathroom for ages by now. The Doctor called back apologetically: "Oh, sorry. I like a good soak."

There was a banging from upstairs again and Lily glanced up with a frown. Craig had said the man was quiet usually, but he kept banging at unusual times of the day. She heard Craig call to the Doctor: "I'm just going to go upstairs. See if he's okay."

Lily frowned at that, wondering if she should stop him or go with him. She hesitated, before she decided to follow him.

She walked out their room and headed out into the hallway, although she paused when she heard a thump from the bathroom and then the Doctor groan: "Ow."

"Doctor?" She asked as she paused by the bathroom door, and she heard him clattering about inside. She frowned, wondering what he was doing, when suddenly the door was flung open.

Lily's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as the Doctor scrambled out holding an electric toothbrush and wearing nothing but a towel. Which he promptly dropped in his haste as he scrambled about.

The Doctor didn't see her as he simply hastily grabbed the towel again, covering his parts from the front before hurrying to tie the towel around his waist as he dashed out after Craig.

Lily was left stunned by the bathroom door, having had an excellent view from behind. She blinked, unable to move, before she gradually realized… the Doctor had been carrying an electric toothbrush.

She slowly turned her head to look inside the bathroom, noting the sonic sitting in a cup on the sink. The shower curtains were also on the floor, probably meaning the Doctor had fallen over in his hurry, hence the thump she'd heard. All of these thoughts passed through Lily's mind somewhat subconsciously- her conscious was still focused on the Doctor's naked backside.

She blinked as Craig re-entered the flat, answering his phone. She tuned him out as she fetched the Doctor's sonic, tucking it into her jeans before she walked out into Craig's flat, just as the Doctor walked in from the front door.

He saw her and blinked in surprise while Craig was saying into his phone, exasperated: "No, Dom's in Malta. There's nobody around."

As the Doctor wandered over towards Lily, Craig said into his phone: "Hang on a sec."

He stopped the Doctor and said hurriedly: "We've got a match today, pub league. We're one down if you fancy it?"

Lily raised her brows - this was going to be good. But she blinked in surprise once more as a blonde woman walked in behind the Doctor, glancing at the Doctor amusedly before she headed over to the fridge.

' _This must be Sophie.'_ Lily realized as she recognized the woman's face.

The Doctor was saying to Craig confusedly: "Pub league. A drinking competition?"

"No, football. Play football." Craig corrected and the Doctor muttered thoughtfully: "Football. Football. Yes, blokes play football. I'm good at football, I think."

He added the last bit as an afterthought, but Craig didn't hear that part as he said happily: "You've saved my life."

He then turned back to his phone again as he told his friend: "I've got somebody. Yeah, all right, I'll see you down there."

The Doctor meanwhile turned to Lily, as Craig greeted: "Hey, Soph."

"How long were you there?" The Doctor asked Lily in a low voice and she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice: "Since Craig went upstairs and you ran after him. Had a lovely view."

The Doctor blinked before looking sheepish and Lily just laughed at him while Sophie was saying to Craig: "Hey, I thought I'd come early and meet your new flat mate…s."

She looked at Lily questioningly.

"You must be Sophie. I'm Lily." Lily introduced as she shook the other woman's hand.

The Doctor also turned to the blonde woman as he asked: "Do you play, Sophie?"

She laughed, shaking her head, and Craig chuckled: "No, Soph just stands on the sidelines. She's my mascot."

Lily winced while Sophie asked, frowning: "I'm your mascot? Mascot?"

The Doctor looked between the pair with raised brows as Craig muttered awkwardly: "Well, yeah, not my mascot. It's a football match, I can't take a date."

He froze as his words caught up to him.

"I didn't say I was your date." Sophie said disconcertedly, and Craig said quickly: "Neither did I."

Lily and the Doctor looked between the awkward pair, before the Doctor said lightly, trying to ease the tension: "Better get dressed."

"And I was enjoying the view." Lily teased. He grimaced as he handed Craig his toothbrush back, while Sophie looked between them in surprise.

The Doctor and Lily had just walked back into their room when Craig called after the Doctor: "The spare kit's just in the bottom drawer."

He made as though to come in and show him where it was, but the Doctor blocked his view of the room as he said evasively: "Bit of a mess."

He shut the door before he paused as he realized something else, and opened it again just as they heard Sophie say to Craig: "You didn't say he was gorgeous."

Lily wrinkled her nose, and then snorted quietly as Craig replied, sounding put out: "He's married."

"To Lily, right? She's very pretty." Sophie said, sounding a little forlorn.

The Doctor didn't notice the other couple's tension this time, too focused on Sophie's keys, and he interrupted them to ask intently: "You unlocked the door. How did you do that? Those are your keys. You must have left them last time you came here."

That caught Lily's interest, and she popped her head over the Doctor's shoulder to look as well, staring at the other set of keys in said woman's hands.

"Yeah, but I…" Sophie began before she paused. She frowned as she asked: "How do you know these are my keys?"

"I've been holding them." Craig admitted, cringing and looking like he wanted to disappear.

Sophie just lifted a spare set of keys as she told the Doctor: "I've got another set."

"You've got two sets of keys to someone else's house?" Lily asked in surprise, and Sophie raised her brows a little as she replied sheepishly: "Yeah?"

"I see." The Doctor murmured.

Lily suppressed a smile as he added meaningfully: "You must like it here too."

He leaned back into the room and closed the door once more. He turned, only to find himself right before Lily. He froze as she did too, taken aback as she found herself staring at his bare chest. Not that it was a bad view… but it was very distracting.

"Er, sorry." He muttered as he quickly backed up and then edged his way around her and into the room.

Lily snorted and she was back to her usual self as she teased: "It's nothing to be ashamed of. You're in pretty good shape; must be all the running." She added thoughtfully while the Doctor cringed.

"Right, anyway." He muttered as he dug around in the drawer for the clothes Craig had mentioned.

Lily sat on what she could of the bed as she watched him pull out the clothes. He paused and turned to her finally, asking in a slightly aggravated tone: "Do you mind?"

"What? It's not like I haven't seen it before. Besides, you had no problem stripping down even before then, that time in the hospital with the Atraxi." Lily pointed out.

"This is different." The Doctor insisted, and Lily snorted as she asked: "How is it different?"

She blinked as the Doctor abruptly turned and leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her as he leaned his face in close to hers. Lily was suddenly very aware of how bare he was and how attractive his wet hair was, flopping down into his bright green eyes.

She swallowed as the Doctor pointed out in a soft murmur: "Because now, it's just you and me. And now, we are slightly more than just the Doctor and his companion."

He raised his brow meaningfully and Lily asked lightly, even as her heart was pounding: "Oh? Is that right?"

"Yes." He murmured before he closed the gap between them and kissed her. Lily kissed him back, and as he pressed his lips harsher against hers, she slowly lifted her hand, running it lightly over the Doctor's slightly defined abs. He pulled back in shock and she grinned at him.

"Problem?" She asked innocently and his eyes narrowed, even as his lips curved into a grin.

"Oh, you are bad." He told her, and she laughed.

Reaching up she kissed him again lightly before she pulled back and chuckled: "Come on, you've got a game to go to."

He kissed her nose, causing her wrinkle it slightly, before he began to get dressed again, pulling on the blue shorts and socks as Lily held up his shirt for him. He took it from her as he placed another soft kiss on her lips and she giggled.

"It's a good thing we're going out." He commented. "If I hang about the house all the time, him upstairs might get suspicious and notice me."

"And how distinctly non-human you are." She pointed out as she ran a hand through his hair, brushing it down.

"I can do normal." He protested and she told him: "Your shirt's on backwards. The number needs to be at the back."

She pointed to the large '11' and he quickly shifted the shirt around so that it was on the right way.

"All right, I'm trying. Give me some credit." He complained and Lily shrugged as she retorted: "I don't want to; normal's boring. I like you just the way you are."

He blinked in surprise while she gave him a cheeky smile, before he slowly started to grin. His eyes were soft as he beamed at her happily and Lily smiled as he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Have I told you I love you?" He asked, and her heart did a small summersault. No matter how many times, those words would always make her heart soar.

But she tried to sound casual as she replied lightly: "You might've mentioned it."

He grinned, hearing the attempt to hide her emotions, as he leaned down to press his forehead against hers.

"I love you." He told her softly and Lily's face softened too.

"I love you, too." She murmured and the Doctor pressed another quick kiss on her.

"Now," he said as he pulled away, back to business, "football's the one with the sticks, isn't it?"

Lily laughed, shaking her head as she straightened his collar for him.

"Sorry, Doctor." She told him. "I don't think it's possible for you to do normal at all."

* * *

As the four walked down to the nearby park, Craig asked curiously: "What are you actually called? What's your proper name?"

"Just call me the Doctor." The Doctor replied as though it was obvious and Sophie chimed in, looking at the two men amusedly: "Yeah."

But Craig protested: "I can't go up to these guys and say, 'hey, this is my new flat mate, he's called the Doctor'."

"Why not?" The Doctor asked and Craig pointed out: "Because it's weird."

He turned to Lily and asked her: "Seriously, what's his name?"

"The Doctor." Lily replied cheerily and Craig asked skeptically: "So you just call him 'the Doctor' all the time?"

"Yes, something wrong with that?" Lily asked innocently and Craig gave up as they walked up to the pitch.

"All right, Craig. Soph." One of the men greeted and Craig called back a greeting as the man added, nodding to the Doctor and Lily: "All right, mate, miss."

He and Craig clasped hands briefly, and as Craig moved on to greet the rest of the men, the Doctor greeted the man: "Hello, we're Craig's new flat mates."

He gave the man air kisses, and added: "I'm called the Doctor."

The man looked taken aback while Craig glanced back with his face scrunched up. Lily quickly took over, shaking the man's hand as she introduced: "I'm Lily. Sorry, he's not from around here."

The man smiled and replied: "All right, Lily, Doctor. I'm Sean."

Lily nodded and stepped back to rejoin Sophie as Sean asked the Doctor: "So, where are you strongest?"

"Arms." The Doctor replied.

Sean gave him a funny look as Craig explained: "No, he means what position on the field."

Sean raised a brow as the Doctor understood and replied lightly: "Not sure. The front? The side? Below."

Craig looked exasperated, while Sean checked urgently: "Are you any good though?"

The Doctor smirked as he answered mischievously: "Let's find out."

He dashed off for the field while Lily snorted, and Sean gave Craig a look, causing the pudgy man to shrug apologetically.

* * *

The game had begun and Lily stood on the sidelines with Sophie and another woman, Julia, who was apparently one of their team player's girlfriend. They were standing amongst the crowd of spectators, and as the game went on Julia said excitedly: "Yeah, we're going to win."

Lily smiled politely, and then chuckled as Craig passed the ball to the Doctor, who quickly dribbled it around the opposition. He was surprisingly good, using his natural agility as he nimbly dodged the other players while dribbling the ball swiftly down the line.

"That's not bad." Sophie commented to Lily excitedly, and Lily smiled widely.

As the Doctor approached the goals, Craig running with him, Sophie called encouragingly: "Yes! Go!"

Lily laughed, also joining the hyped excitement as the Doctor passed to Craig, who passed back calling: "One two. One two."

But of course, the Doctor didn't understand and just ran off with the ball, aiming for the goals. Lily cheered: "Go, Doctor!"

"Go on, Doctor!" Sophie joined Lily in shouting. "Go on, Doctor!"

And he scored. He whooped excitedly and Lily laughed, happy for him as he was surrounded by cheering teammates, while Sophie cheered triumphantly: "Doctor! Doctor!"

As he glanced over at the girls, Sophie called encouragingly as she gave him the thumbs up: "You're brilliant. You're amazing!"

"You really are!" Lily called to him, and he grinned happily.

The game continued soon after, Lily watching with amusement as the Doctor ran around the field lithely, not really getting the rules but playing fine anyway and scoring at an incredible rate. It was actually funny to watch, when she remembered he was over nine hundred years old and still running circles around the other thirty-something year old humans.

As the game went on, Craig's team received a penalty chance, and both Sophie and Lily cheered loudly with the crowd as Craig set up the ball, getting ready to kick.

"Come on, Craig." Sophie shouted enthusiastically. "Show them what you've got."

But just as Craig was about to take the kick, the Doctor ran in and kicked the ball, scoring another goal. Lily blinked in surprise, wondering if it had been a planned feint or if the Doctor had just gone for it. She decided it was the latter when she saw Craig's stunned and slightly annoyed expression, and she winced.

But no-one else seemed to notice as they all cheered ecstatically, the team swamping the Doctor once again, the crowd began chanting jubilantly: "Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!"

Lily smiled wryly as Sophie clapped, looking cheery but a little regretful.

"Sorry." Lily apologized to the blonde woman, who turned to her in surprise. "It should've been Craig's chance, but I'm afraid the Doctor can get a little excitable. He's a bit of a child still at heart."

Sophie smiled and shook her head. She looped her arm through Lily's as she replied cheerily: "No, it's fine. And look, he looks so happy, especially when he sees you watching him."

Lily glanced back to see the Doctor watching her, and he grinned when she smiled and waved at him. He waved back cheerfully, and Lily felt her heart swell as she watched the Doctor just relax and enjoy a game, looking for all the world like any other normal bloke.

' _Well, a normal, sporty bloke.'_ She corrected mentally, as the Doctor scored yet again.

* * *

Once the game had ended, in an overwhelming win for Craig's team thanks to the Doctor, the girls walked over to join the boys as they gathered by a bench. They were mostly still elated, the exception being Craig, who was looking a little put out as Sean said to the Doctor excitedly: "You are so on the team. Next week we've got the Crown and Anchor. We're going to annihilate them."

"Annihilate? No." The Doctor said seriously.

Lily rolled her eyes as he said to Sean warningly: "No violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around. Not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm," he finally noticed Lily shaking her head as she made cutting motions across her neck from behind Sean, "and you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?" He muttered sheepishly.

"Yeah." Sean replied flatly, looking at the Doctor strangely again.

"Lovely." The Doctor replied cheerily. "What sort of time?"

Sophie glanced at Lily questioningly, and she quickly stopped miming 'cut' as she blinked back at the blonde with feigned innocence. Thankfully, they were all distracted as Craig opened his can, only for it to fizz and spray him in the face. They all laughed at him, Sophie finding it particularly hilarious while Lily smiled.

But the Doctor paused as the scene repeated itself, as though… on a time loop.

He quickly grabbed Lily, pulling her away before she was too affected by what was now happening within her time stream. Lily shook her head slowly as he walked a little away, calling urgently on his bluetooth: "Amy?"

Lily finally broke out of her trance-like state as he gripped her tightly, shielding her physically from the loop with his otherworldly presence, while he called again: "Amy?"

The Doctor checked Lily, making sure she was okay while he asked into his Bluetooth device: "What does the scanner say?"

He paused and then stuttered in as he tried to convince Amy very unconvincingly: "Yes, yes, it's, it's good."

Lily stared at him worriedly as he added hastily: "Zigzag plotter. Zigzag plotter, Amy."

"Is she alright?" Lily demanded and he shook his head at her as he called in alarm: "Amy? Are you there? Amy?"

"Doctor?" Lily asked panicked, and she almost collapsed with relief as he sighed in relief and said, while patting Lily soothingly: "Oh, thank heavens. I thought for a moment the Tardis had been flung off into the vortex with you inside it, lost forever."

She whacked his arm chidingly, and he realized what he'd said. Lily could almost hear Amy's accusation, demanding if that could happen. From the Doctor's sheepish face as he listened to whatever Amy was saying, Lily knew her guess was right.

"How are the numbers?" The Doctor asked, and after a pause he nodded as he said thoughtfully: "Fives?"

He glanced back at the team who were now back to normal, just sitting around and chatting. Lily also peered over to see Sophie teasing Craig lightly and she smiled. The Doctor murmured: "Even better."

He then added thoughtfully, looking back at Lily as he spoke to both girls: "Still, it means the effect's almost unbelievably powerful and dangerous, but don't worry."

Lily groaned at him as he just said lightly to Amy: "Hang on, okay? I've got some rewiring to do."

He clicked off his device and Lily muttered to him: "Seriously? Either don't try to be reassuring, or actually make a proper attempt."

He grinned at that, knowing she was teasing, and she grinned back. But before he led them back to the flat, he quickly placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye as he reassured her: "Don't worry. We'll fix this, promise."

She nodded wordlessly and the Doctor took her hand as they quickly dashed off back to the flat.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the Doctor had just about finished putting everything together when someone knocked on their bedroom door. He quickly answered it and Lily sighed internally - he was still holding the traffic cone.

"Hello, flat mate." The Doctor greeted, and Lily heard Craig say sheepishly: "Hey, man. Er, listen."

She raised a brow curiously as Craig said, meaningfully: "Er, Sophie's coming round tonight and… I was wondering if you could give us some space?"

"Oh, don't mind me." The Doctor replied lightly. "You won't even know I'm here."

There was another bang from upstairs and the Doctor's head lifted to look at the ceiling as Lily also glanced up. The Doctor murmured softly: "That's the idea."

He shut the door and turned back to his contraption. Placing the traffic cone on it, he exclaimed delightedly: "Yes, perfect! What a beauty."

Lily just shook her head at him from her place on the floor.

Of course, neither could see Craig as he stood outside the door, his face twisted. From his point of view, there was only one reason the Doctor would crow something like that so excitedly. He shook his head as he wandered back down the hall.

' _Although',_ he thought confusedly, ' _why would the Doctor be holding a traffic cone then?'_

He thought about it and shuddered. ' _Actually, I don't think I want to know.'_

* * *

Lily fell asleep at some point on the mattress that was now on the floor as the Doctor worked late into the evening.

She woke up just after midnight, woken by the Doctor's return and she blinked sleepily as he wrapped the final wires onto the top part of his contraption made up of laundry lines, a lamp, two chairs, a bicycle wheel and pedals, a rake, a broom, an oar, and an umbrella, with the traffic cone sitting at the top, inside the upside down umbrella. The whole thing was setup on the bare bedframe, hence Lily's position on the floor.

"Right, shield's up." The Doctor said triumphantly and Lily peered at him confusedly as he swung the contraption and huffed: "Let's scan."

"Did you leave the room?" Lily asked disconcertedly and he nodded, glancing down at her.

"Did you sleep well, love?" He asked gently but she just frowned at him.

"Where'd you go? Craig asked you to give him space." She pointed out.

"Oh, I went out to grab a screwdriver," the Doctor replied airily, "a normal one since I can't use my sonic one, and he invited me to stay for drinks with Sophie. By the way, wine is disgusting, hate wine, never let me touch wine." He added while Lily stared at him.

"You stayed with him for drinks with Sophie." She said flatly and he nodded as he added excitedly: "Did you know, she wants to travel? Apparently wants to work with animals, not at the call centre and stuck in this boring town. But, she's not sure why she wants to stay - hasn't figured out her feelings yet."

He grinned mischievously and Lily gave up. There was no point - the Doctor wouldn't understand what he'd done wrong and the damage was already done. Instead, Lily silently made the resolve not to fall asleep the next time Sophie was due in for a date with Craig.

The Doctor meanwhile turned back to his machine and switched on his Bluetooth.

"You there, Pond?" He called.

She asked him something and he replied: "Upstairs. No traces of high technology. Totally… normal?" He asked confusedly.

Lily also frowned while the Doctor muttered: "No, no, no, no, no, it can't be. It's too normal."

He sounded annoyed, and he began to try to pace the room while ducking to avoid being hit in the face by the swinging rakes, broom and oar.

"Without knowing and get myself killed?" He replied to something Amy had said. "Then you really are lost."

Lily kicked him, not appreciating his constant jabs at Amy while she was anxious for the redhead's safety. He rubbed his shin as he added pensively: "If I could just get a look in there."

"Well, can't we use a satellite camera or a blueprint or something?" Lily asked and he froze.

He grabbed the spinning oar, pausing it as he muttered: "Hold on. Yes!"

He said gleefully to Amy: "Use the data bank. Get me the plans of this building. I want to know its history, the layout, everything."

He turned to Lily and said admiringly: "You know, I've remembered just why I love you."

"Gee, thanks." Lily replied sarcastically, but her soft smile gave away her true feelings.

The Doctor leaned down to kiss Lily soundly, before he included Amy again as he said determinedly: "Meanwhile, I shall recruit a spy."

"I'm going to spy?" Lily asked in surprise and he snorted.

"Not likely, love." He retorted. "I'm not risking you getting hurt."

"Then who?" Lily asked, frowning and he beamed.

She immediately caught on and she said flatly: "No."

"Why not? I need to know what's up there." The Doctor said with a frown and Lily scolded: "Craig's important to Sophie. You can't just send him into danger."

"I'm not." The Doctor retorted. "He met the guy upstairs before, and he wasn't harmed."

Both their faces turned thoughtful, immediately forgetting their impending quarrel as they thought about what the Doctor had said.

"I wonder why?" The Doctor murmured and Lily nodded in agreement. They stared at each other, trying to figure it out as they stayed up well into the night.


	33. 11-3 Travel

The next morning, the Doctor went to 'recruit' Craig, making breakfast and carrying it to Craig's room in an effort to get on the man's good side. Lily stayed in their room, playing with the coat hangers as she listened to the Doctor calling Craig from outside the other man's bedroom door.

"Craig?" The Doctor was calling.

"Breakfast. It's normal." He added, and Lily smiled. "Craig?"

The smile left Lily's face as she heard the Doctor open the man's bedroom door, his voice worried. She turned her head in confusion and then alarm as the Doctor called sharply: "Lily!"

She ran out and into the room where the Doctor was hitting Craig's chest, saying frantically: "Come on, Craig, breathe. Thems are healthy footballer's lungs."

He saw her and urged: "Keep him breathing!"

Lily ran over, taking over as the Doctor ran out of the room. Lily kept a solid rhythm as she hit the man's chest, glancing down to see a strange green line on the inside of the man's right forearm. She groaned as she realized he must've touched the rot on the ceiling.

Craig wheezed and Lily immediately focused on him as she said soothingly: "Here Craig, it's Lily. You'll be fine, we've got you, just keep breathing for me."

She looked up as the Doctor returned carrying a teapot and she watched curiously as he gently placed the spout on Craig's lips and poured the tea directly into Craig's mouth.

"What is that?" She asked, and the Doctor replied: "Tea. Very strong tea, but tea all the same."

Lily was surprised as she asked: "Tea? To counter poison?"

The Doctor nodded as he explained: "It-"

"Reverses the enzyme decay." Lily finished absently, before blinking in surprise while he looked at her sharply.

"How'd you know that?" He asked and she just blinked once more.

"I don't know; I must've seen it before…" She trailed off while the Doctor's hearts beat faster.

' _No, she couldn't remember.'_ He thought worriedly.

Lily was frowning, wondering how she knew, but they were distracted as Craig croaked out, coming to dazedly: "I've got to go to work."

The Doctor turned to him as he said softly: "On no account. You need rest. One more." He added as he poured another sip down Craig's throat.

Craig drank, and made face at the taste as he swallowed. He murmured: "It's the planning meeting. It's important."

"You're important." The Doctor replied gently.

Craig's eyes began to close sleepily and the Doctor patted the man's forehead as he soothed: "You're going to be fine, Craig."

Craig's head lolled as he fell into a deep sleep, and the Doctor whispered to Lily: "Can you stay and look after him?"

"Course." Lily whispered back. "Despite only being there for a short while, I _did_ actually learn something in the medical wards at Leadworth."

"Leadworth?" The Doctor repeated in surprise, and Lily nodded as she explained: "I originally went there during my last semester of uni because I thought maybe I wanted to pursue a medical degree. It didn't last long, but I did learn some things about nursing people while I was there."

The Doctor chuckled, before he nodded at Craig as he requested: "Well then, you're the perfect person to stay with him and make sure he rests in peace."

"Where are you going?" She whispered and he replied: "Well, now I need another spy, and we owe it to Craig to do something nice."

"You just want to see what it's like to go work in an office." Lily teased and he grinned.

"Maybe." He answered as he kissed her lightly before he left, calling over his shoulder: "I'm leaving, honey."

She laughed at him as he paused in the doorway and said excitedly: "I've always wanted to say that."

Lily shook her head in amusement as he left, before turning back to Craig, only to jump when the Doctor poked his head back in and asked suddenly: "What did you do after graduating then?"

Lily's lips curved up, and she admitted with a smile: "Travel journalism."

The Doctor laughed at that, still laughing as he disappeared once more and left the house. Lily smiled as she heard the front door slam shut, before turning back to Craig and with a worried look.

She stayed with Craig the whole day, waiting patiently for him to wake up as she alternated feeding him tea and reading some of his books.

Sometime in the afternoon, he stirred and Lily raised her tired eyes to his face as he opened his eyes.

"Lily?" He murmured as he saw her and she smiled to see he looked much better.

She blinked in surprise as he suddenly cried: "What?"

She cocked her head and looked to see what he was seeing, and saw he'd seen the time: 14:45.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." Craig mumbled as he stumbled out of bed.

"Craig?" Lily asked in alarm and then she shrieked as he began to hurriedly get dressed.

She quickly turned away as she cried: "Craig, what are you doing?"

When he didn't respond, just grunting, she said sharply in exasperation: "Craig!"

"I've got to get to work!" He cried back and Lily paused as she realized.

"Oh, wait, Craig, you don't have to-" She began when the bedroom door slammed. She turned to see Craig leaving, having gotten dressed in record time.

"Craig!" She shouted after him, but he was already gone.

She sighed, annoyed and muttered as she went back to her room and grabbed her purse: "Whatever."

He'd figure it out when he got to work and found the Doctor. She was starving and at that moment, all she wanted was a nice plate of warm chips.

* * *

Lily walked back to the house and was surprised to see Sophie coming up as well.

"Hello." She smiled in greeting and Sophie nodded.

"Hello. How're you?" She asked and Lily shrugged.

"Been better." The brunette answered. "I had to look after Craig this morning when he was sick. Did you see him?"

Sophie nodded as she replied: "He came to work, but left pretty quickly."

She sounded dejected and Lily asked her curiously: "What happened?"

"Oh, I don't think he was happy the Doctor was there-" Sophie began and Lily quickly interrupted: "No, I mean with you. It's Craig isn't it?"

Sophie sighed as she admitted: "I don't know. I applied for a wildlife charity thing and they said I could always start as a volunteer straight away, and I asked Craig, and he said I should do it, but…"

"But you find yourself hesitating." Lily nodded. Sophie sighed again, and Lily struggled before she made her decision.

"Come on." She pulled Sophie with her as they entered the house, saying gently: "Let's figure it out, hm? The reason you want to go but find yourself hesitating."

They stepped inside, Lily leading the hesitant woman when suddenly a little girl called from upstairs: "Please can you help me?"

Lily looked up startled, as did Sophie. They saw a little girl standing by the door to the upstairs flat, hidden in the shadows as the lights were off. Lily frowned while the Sophie called, confused but gentle: "Hi."

"Please, will you help me?" The girl asked, and Lily's frown deepened.

"What's the matter, my love?" Sophie asked kindly. "Help you?"

She began to move for the stairs when Lily pulled her sharply, saying: "Sophie, wait."

Sophie looked at her confused, but then the little girl called more urgently: "Please help. My mum went inside and she hasn't come out."

The little girl pointed to the door and Lily made up her mind.

"Sophie, wait here." Lily said softly as she began to walk slowly up the stairs.

"No, I want to help too." Sophie argued as she followed. Lily paused, unsure, but decided maybe Sophie could take the little girl downstairs while Lily had a look.

They walked over slowly as the little girl asked: "Please, please help. My mum."

She glanced inside and took a step in.

"Hey, hey." Lily called soothingly, as she quickened her step, trying to stop the girl from walking in further.

"Come back out, it's dangerous." Lily called as she and Sophie stepped onto the landing.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor groaned. He'd whacked his head on Craig's, twice, in order to show the other man the truth, and now the pair stood in the Doctor's room, clutching their heads. Craig was hyperventilating in excitement while the Doctor moaned in pain: "I am never, never doing that ever, ever again."

He activated his earpiece as Craig asked: "Wait, but how come you suggested being married to Lily?"

The Doctor ignored him uncomfortably as he called into his earpiece: "Amy."

Craig gasped and he said excitedly, momentarily distraced.: "That's Amy Pond."

The Doctor glanced at him, and then he said sarcastically: "Oh, of course, you can understand us now. Hurrah."

Ha addressed Amy again as he asked: "Got those plans yet?"

"Still searching for them." Amy replied and the Doctor said quickly: "I've worked it out, with psychic help from a cat."

He paused, missing someone but was distracted as Amy asked in disbelief: "A cat?"

 **"** Yes," the Doctor replied distractedly, "I know he's got a time engine in the flat upstairs. He's using innocent people to try and launch it. Whenever he does, they get burnt up, hence the stain on your ceiling." He added as he pointed at Craig.

"From the ceiling." Craig said in understanding, and the Doctor said, once again sarcastic: "Well done, Craig."

He added: "And you, Miss Pond, nearly get thrown off into the Vortex."

He paused, realizing as Amy replied flatly: "Lovely."

"Where's Lily?" The Doctor asked suddenly and Amy replied confused: "How should I know? Doctor?"

The Doctor was staring at Craig, who shrugged while Amy said sharply: "Doctor, where's Lily? Tell me she's alright, Doctor, or I swear-"

There was a crash from upstairs, and the Doctor's eyes widened while Craig said in despair: "People are dying up there."

But then he repeated continuously: "People are dying. People are dying."

The Doctor turned to him slowly as he repeated: "People are dying."

Amy shrieked through his earpiece, meaning she was being thrown around again. Craig broke out of the time loop and he cried to the Doctor: "They're being killed."

"Lily." The Doctor whispered, before he ran out the room, Craig following him.

"Doctor?" Amy asked panicked, but the Doctor didn't have time for her right now as he replied sharply: "Hang on."

He dashed up the stairs, calling impatiently when Craig paused: "Craig, come on."

He turned to the man as Craig didn't move, snapping: "Lily is in… there…"

The Doctor trailed off as he saw what Craig was staring at numbly: Sophie's pink fluffy keys still stuck in the door.

"Sophie." Craig breathed in horror while the Doctor quickly swiveled his head to the upstairs flat door.

He sprinted up the stairs as Craig moaned as he ran after the Doctor: "It's Sophie that's dying up there! It's Sophie!"

"Then where on earth is Lily?" The Doctor demanded anxiously as they stopped outside the flat door.

"Where's Sophie?" Craig demanded, when suddenly Amy screamed at him: "Doctor, stop!"

"Wait, wait." The Doctor ordered Craig quickly and he asked: "Amy?"

"Are you upstairs?" She asked and the Doctor replied in affirmative: "Just going in."

He frowned as Amy replied desperately: "But you can't be upstairs."

"Of course I can be upstairs." The Doctor said confused and Amy cried: "No, I've got the plans. You cannot be upstairs, it's a one-storey building. There is no upstairs."

Craig heard her from where he was standing, Amy was speaking so loudly, and the two men both turned to look down the stairs clearly leading upstairs. The Doctor quickly pulled open the flat door and the pair stepped inside.

"What? What?" Craig whispered as they stared into the command center of the time engine.

"Oh." The Doctor muttered in realization. "Oh, of course."

They walked in slowly as the Doctor explained: "The time engine isn't in the flat, the time engine is the flat. Someone's attempt to build a Tardis."

"No, there's always been an upstairs." Craig protested.

"Has there? Think about it." The Doctor challenged.

"Yes!" Craig replied firmly, and then he said confusedly as the flat door disappeared behind them: "No. I don't-"

"Perception filter." The Doctor explained: "It's more than a disguise. It tricks your memory."

At that moment, there were dual screams from across the room. The Doctor's eyes widened while Craig screamed: "Sophie!"

They finally spotted the two girls being pulled in towards the central console of the room by an energy force. Lily was hanging onto Sophie, trying to hold her back even as the energy pulled on her as well. The Doctor ran for Lily as Craig ran for Sophie, crying: "Sophie! Oh, my God, Sophie!"

"Craig." Sophie whimpered as he grabbed her, while the Doctor grabbed Lily.

She clung to him desperately as the Doctor explained through grit teeth: "It's controlling you. It's willing you to touch the activator."

The two men barely managed to keep the girls' hands from touching the activator, a dome-shaped button control, as Craig snarled: "That's not going to have her."

The Doctor managed to pull out his sonic and he pointed it at the control as he desperately held onto Lily and she cried out as she tried to keep her hand away from the button. The Doctor muttered as he lowered the sonic: "Ah, deadlock seal."

"Are you serious?!" Lily shouted, just as Sophie's hand slammed down on the control.

Amy shrieked in the Doctor's ear as Craig cried frantically: "You've got to do something."

Suddenly, Sophie's hand was released and she fell back, unconscious. Craig held her hurriedly while the Doctor asked confused: "What? Why's it let her go? And not Lily?"

"Doctor." Lily whimpered as they continued to fight against the pull on her hand.

"So, okay…" The Doctor muttered, trying to figure it out, when suddenly an old man appeared by the console.

"You will help me." He said and the Doctor said quickly: "Right. Stop. Crashed ship, let's see. Hello, I'm Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue. Please state the nature of your emergency."

"What?" Lily snapped, but the man replied immediately: "The ship has crashed. The crew are dead. A pilot is required."

"You're the emergency crash program." The Doctor realized.

"A hologram. What, you've been luring people up here so you can try them out?" He demanded.

He used his sonic on the hologram and it spoke, in a mix of an old man's voice, a little girl's voice and a young man's voice: "You will help me."

Lily cried as they fought to keep her standing away from the control: "Doctor, why won't it let me go?"

"Craig, what is this? Where am I?" Sophie asked as she suddenly came to, and the Doctor snapped as he gripped onto Lily: "Hush. Human brains aren't strong enough though, they just burn. But you're stupid, aren't you. You just keep trying."

"Doctor!" Lily cried urgently, as the hologram replied: "Seventeen people have been tried. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six remain."

"Humans won't work, even Lily's not strong enough for this." The Doctor snarled at the hologram.

Sophie asked as Craig hurried over to help keep Lily away: "Seriously, what is going on?"

"Oh, for goodness sake." The Doctor snapped at her. "The top floor of Craig's building is in reality an alien space ship intent on slaughtering the population of this planet. Any questions? No, good."

"Yes, I have questions." Sophie snapped, and Lily cried in a mix of exasperation and terror: "Can they wait?"

Suddenly the energy force on her disappeared and she, Craig, and the Doctor stumbled back.

The Doctor gripped her, checking her anxiously as the hologram told them: "The correct pilot has now been found."

The Doctor muttered as he glanced at the hologram: "Yes, I was a bit worried that you were going to say that."

"Oh, my God, Doctor, no!" Lily cried, but it was too late as the energy force grabbed the Doctor now.

She grabbed him, holding him back desperately as they now fought to keep _him_ away from the control while the hologram repeated continuously: "The correct pilot has been found."

"What's happening?" Amy shouted as she managed to get back to the comms again, and the Doctor replied through grit teeth: "It's pulling me in. I'm the new pilot."

He grabbed a pillar in an attempt to keep from being pulled in, Lily hanging onto him as she dug her heels into the ground, trying to keep him in place.

"Could you do it?" Amy asked urgently. "Could you fly the ship safely?"

"No, I'm way too much for this ship." The Doctor explained hurriedly as he clenched his jaw in exertion. "My hand touches that panel, the planet doesn't blow up, the whole solar system does."

Lily's eyes widened as the Doctor was pulled from the pillar and closer to the button.

"Doctor!" She cried as she hung onto him, and the hologram repeated: "The correct pilot has been found."

"No, it hasn't!" Lily shouted at it as the Doctor yelled at it: "No. Worst choice ever, I promise you. Stop this."

His hand was hovering over the button as Amy screamed: "Doctor? It's getting worse."

The Doctor tried to focus and he thought aloud: "It doesn't want everyone. Craig, it didn't want you."

"I spoke to him and he said I couldn't help him." Craig stuttered, terrified.

"It didn't want Sophie before but now it does." The Doctor thought aloud again.

"What's changed? Argh." He yelled as the energy tried to pull him in. Lily was grappling at his hands desperately, trying to keep it off the button.

"And it didn't want me until now… when I _wanted_ to leave." Lily said suddenly.

"And Sophie, I gave her the idea of leaving." The Doctor realized. "It's a machine that needs to leave. It wants people who want to escape. And you don't want to leave, Craig. You're Mr. Sofa Man."

He called over to the other man desperately: "Craig, you can shut down the engine. Put your hand on the panel and concentrate on why you want to stay."

"Craig, no." Sophie cried in fear, but Craig demanded: "Will it work?"

"Yes." The Doctor cried as Lily shrieked while his hand was pulled ever closer.

"Are you sure?" Craig checked, sounding terrified, and the Doctor told him firmly: "Yes."

"Is that a lie?" Craig demanded and the Doctor bit out frantically: "Of course it's a lie!"

"It's good enough for me." Craig said determinedly and he turned to the button.

"Geronimo!" He shouted as he slammed his hand on the button.

"Argh!" He screamed, and the machine released the Doctor, sending him and Lily flying backwards.

"Craig!" Sophie cried as Amy screamed in the Doctor's ear: "Doctor!"

Meanwhile, Lily was asking him frantically: "Doctor? Are you alright?"

He nodded quickly, taking her into his arms as he yelled at Craig: "Craig, what's keeping you here? Think about everything that makes you want to stay here. Why don't you want to leave?"

"Sophie!" Craig shouted and the Doctor beamed despite the circumstances.

Lily was still too shaken to be happy for them as Craig confessed to the Doctor: "I don't want to leave Sophie. I can't leave Sophie. I love Sophie."

Sophie gasped and then blurted out happily: "I love you, too, Craig, you idiot."

She placed her hand on Craig's, and the machine began to smoke and crackle, burning up. The Doctor grinned at them, and then winced as Amy screamed in his ear: "Doctor!"

"Honestly, do you mean that?" Craig whispered to Sophie delightedly.

She smiled back as she retorted: "Of course I mean it. Do you mean it?" She checked

"I've always meant it." He replied breathlessly, before he paused.

"Seriously though, do you mean it?" He added, unable to believe it.

"Yes." Sophie replied, tearing a little in her happiness, and Craig smiled, before he asked confused: "What about the monkeys?"

Lily groaned and the Doctor agreed as he snapped at the couple: "Oh, not now, not again. Craig, the planet's about to burn. For God's sake, kiss the girl." He ordered and Lily added, shouting: "Kiss the girl!"

The pair kissed, and their hands were released from the machine as the whole machine stopped. The Doctor and Lily stared at the machine, wide-eyed and then the Doctor leaned in to kiss Lily in relief.

She smiled and kissed him back, just as happily, when suddenly the hologram appeared and said in fast repeat: "Help me. Help me. Help me."

They broke apart to stare at it as it whizzed through its different forms, repeating the same phrase on repeat. Lily and the Doctor's eyes widened as the whole place began to shake. Craig and Sophie also broke apart, and Craig asked: "Did we switch it off?"

"Emergency shutdown." The Doctor replied as he shot upright, pulling Lily with him.

"It's imploding. Everybody out, out, out!" He ordered as he ran out of the ship. The whole group ran down the stairs, running out of the house and out into the street. They whirled around to see the ship appearing above the house, the perception filter on it disappearing. The ship disappeared from view and they stood gasping for air as the adrenaline slowly drained from their bodies.

They all spotted a man and his daughter walking casually past the house and Craig asked confused: "Look at them. Didn't they see that? The whole top floor just vanished."

"Perception filter. There never was a top floor." The Doctor explained. Lily leaned into him, and he hugged her sideways as they all stood for a moment in relief.

* * *

Craig and Sophie were snogging on the sofa as Lily and the Doctor tried to sneak out of the flat without being seen. The Doctor quickly turned away from the couple on the sofa while Lily wrinkled her nose, the pair sneaking through the living room behind the snogging couple's backs.

The Doctor had just placed the flat keys on the cabinet by the flat door when Craig called: "Oi."

"What, you're trying to sneak off?" Sophie asked teasingly as the couple walked over to the pair, and the Doctor and Lily turned to face them guiltily.

The Doctor said with a sheepish smile: "Yes, well, you were sort of busy."

He gestured vaguely at the sofa. Craig chuckled a little before he reached over and picked up the keys the Doctor had returned. He handed them out to the Doctor, and Lily blinked in surprise as he said: "I want you to keep these."

The Doctor also stared before he slowly took the keys from Craig.

"Thank you." He murmured as he glanced between Craig and Sophie.

Lily gave the pair a small smile as the Doctor added lightly: "Because I might pop back soon, have another little stay."

"No, you won't." Craig snorted. He raised his brows as he said pointedly: "I've been in your head, remember."

Lily glanced at the Doctor in surprise- she hadn't heard about this. She looked at Craig again as the man said meaningfully: "I still want you to keep them."

Lily's smile widened while the Doctor's face softened, taken by pleasant surprise.

"Thank you, Craig." He murmured softly, and Lily added gratefully: "Thanks, Craig."

"Thank you, Doctor, Lily." Craig corrected and Lily beamed at him.

The Doctor nodded at Sophie as he said cheerily: "Sophie. Now then. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six people in the world. That's the number to beat."

"Yeah." Sophie replied as she laughed a little. Sophie looked at Lily, taking a step forward, and the brunette stepped out to meet her as they hugged.

"Bye, Lily." Sophie whispered and Lily replied softly: "Bye, Soph. It was a pleasure getting to know you."

The women broke apart, and the Doctor patted both Craig and Sophie on the back in farewell as he and Lily left. They'd just walked out onto the street, Lily beaming to see the Tardis standing across the street, when Craig opened the door and called after them: "Doctor! A word."

Lily glanced back in surprise, but the Doctor nodded. He gestured for Lily to go on ahead, and she did, entering the Tardis as the Doctor walked back to Craig.

"Craig, my man. What's the problem?" The Doctor asked and Craig chuckled: "No problem. It's just, I saw inside your head, remember? And since you helped me get together with Sophie, I just thought I should give you my opinion- some advice if you will."

The Doctor nodded, not understanding and Craig said firmly: "Ask her. I know you're thinking about it, and I think you should ask her. Life's short, for most of us anyways, so why push off what you can do today?"

The Doctor looked at the other man in surprise before his face became thoughtful.

"Hm, you took that from a book." He commented and Craig quoted lightly: "'Everyone took it from a book'."

The Doctor grinned once more, and clapped Craig's shoulder. "Thanks, Craig."

He turned and walked towards the Tardis as Craig shouted after him: "Think about it! Goodbye, Doctor!"

The Doctor simply waved a hand back at the man as he stepped into the blue police box, and Craig watched as the Tardis wheezed and disappeared.

* * *

"Right." the Doctor said as tossed his jacket on a chair by the console.

He began pulling levers as he added: "Back in time. You," he indicated Amy, "need to go to the paper shop and leave that note for me."

Lily chuckled, while Amy said amusedly: "Right little matchmaker, aren't you? Can't you find me a fellow?"

Lily laughed at Amy, but the Doctor abruptly changed topics as he examined the Taris and said: "Oh, rectifier's playing up again Hold on."

He dashed off, calling over his shoulder: "You write the note and I'll change that will."

"You got a pen?" Amy called after him and he shouted back as he ran off: "Make sure it's a red pen."

Lily shrugged at Amy and then went to follow the Doctor while Amy dug through the Doctor's jacket to look for a pen. But instead of the pen, she found a red velvet box. For a moment, she wondered if it was the Doctor's, and she was excited, thinking he might be thinking of proposing to Lily.

But as she held it in both hands, something felt wrong. Amy tensed, her eyes widening in a mix of fear and confusion as she opened the box and saw a vaguely familiar ring. Except, she was certain she'd never seen it before.

She remembered the crack in her bedroom wall as a child, and something inside of her cried in pain. She snapped the box shut quickly, holding it tight as she wondered what was wrong with her and why she felt like she was missing something.


	34. 12-1 The Pandorica Opens

Amy was sitting underneath the console, staring at the engagement ring she'd found and then stolen from the Doctor's jacket. She was so focused on it, she didn't even here the Tardis wheezing until the Doctor cried delightedly: "Vavoom!"

Amy started and then frowned.

"Va-what?" Amy asked condescendingly as she walked up to the console, and Lily gave her an amused grin.

The Doctor ignored her tone as he said enthusiastically while he pulled levers and pressed buttons: "I can't believe I've never thought of this before. It's genius. Right."

The Tardis shook as the wheezing stopped, making Amy stumble. Lily shook her head from her seat by the console while the Doctor said happily: "Landed. Come on."

"Why can't you use the stabilizers?" Lily asked him as he walked past, heading for the doors.

"Because they're boring." The Doctor retorted and Lily chuckled. She hopped up and linked arms with Amy, the two girls following the Doctor towards the doors.

"Where are we?" Amy asked curiously.

"Planet One." The Doctor explained, pausing to turn to them. "The oldest planet in the universe. And there's a cliff of pure diamond, and according to legend, on the cliff there's writing. Letters fifty feet high."

Lily and Amy's brows rose in interest as the Doctor continued dramatically: "A message from the dawn of time And no one knows what it says, because no one's ever translated it."

Lily grinned as he paused. He grinned back as he added softly: "Till today."

"What happens today?" Amy asked excitedly and the Doctor tapped her nose and then Lily's as he said cheerily: "Us. The Tardis can translate anything. All we have to do is open the doors and read the very first words in recorded history."

He held out his arm to Lily, and she looped hers in his. The trio walked quickly to the doors and the Doctor led them outside into the most beautiful planet, with greenery everywhere and what looked like ten foot mushrooms growing around them. But the most amazing sight was the enormous cliff-side right before them, just like the Doctor had described with the fifty foot letters engraved into it.

But Lily raised her brows in amusement as she read the words, while the Doctor's face fell. Amy couldn't stop the grin from spreading on her face and she teased: "Vavoom."

The Doctor didn't reply as he stared in annoyance at the message inscribed in the cliff: 'Hello Sweeties'. Below the message was a string of coordinates, and Lily finally burst out laughing while the Doctor sighed.

* * *

The Tardis wheezed as it landed, and Lily followed the Doctor out to see they were on a hill, at the edge of a wood somewhere.

"Right place?" Amy asked as she came out last.

Lily looked around curiously while the Doctor replied: "Just followed the co-ordinates on the cliff face. Earth. Britain."

He checked his watch and added: "One oh two am. No, pm." He corrected, but Lily's attention was on the sight before them.

She tugged on the Doctor's jacket to get his attention, and he glanced over to look at what she was indicting. He blinked and corrected himself once more: "No, AD."

The trio stared at the Roman camp at the bottom of the hill, and Amy said in disbelief: "That's a Roman Legion."

"Well, yeah." The Doctor murmured.

Lily couldn't stop staring as the Doctor told them: "The Romans invaded Britain several times during this period."

"Oh, I know." Amy retorted. "My favourite topic at school. 'Invasion of the hot Italians'."

The Doctor pulled a face while Lily laughed. Amy grimaced and she muttered: "Yeah, I did get marked down for the title."

Just then, one of the soldiers came running up to them and saluted them, saying: "Hail, Caesar!"

He knelt in deference, and the Doctor looked taken aback before he replied shortly: "Hi."

"Welcome to Britain." The soldier greeted, still bowed low before them. "We are honoured by your presence."

"Well, you're only human." The Doctor replied nonchalantly.

"Arise," he motioned the gesture with his hand, "Roman person." He added, not sure what else to call him.

"'Roman person'?" Lily asked bemused and the Doctor retorted: "Don't start."

"Why does he think you're Caesar?" Amy chimed in.

The soldier interrupted as he stood up and said firmly: "Cleopatra will see you now."

Lily snorted while the Doctor looked highly amused and Amy raised her brows. They all knew exactly where this was going. And sure enough, when they were led inside 'Cleopatra's' tent, they were met by River Song herself.

"Hello, sweetie." River greeted from where she sat on a small throne, being served by a few servants. She was dressed in Egyptian clothing and her look was completed by a black wig and dark eye-makeup.

Lily smiled, completely amused while Amy greeted cheerily: "River."

She then glanced around and said slowly with raised brows: "Hi."

The Doctor meanwhile had walked up to stand directly before River and he scolded: "You graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe."

"You wouldn't answer your phone." She retorted. Lily laughed, trying to stifle it with her hand as the Doctor shot her a look, while River clapped and sent her servants out. As soon as they left, she reached back to grab a rolled up paper, offering it up to the Doctor.

Lily walked over curiously while the Doctor glanced at it and asked suspiciously: "What's this?"

"It's a painting." River told him seriously. "Your friend Vincent. I got it with some help."

At her words, the Doctor snatched the painting from River, moving towards a nearby table as he unraveled the scroll while River added: "One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one."

Lily peered down at the painting as the Doctor lay it on the table, and both she and the Doctor froze. Amy walked over to look at the painting as Lily slowly reached out to clutch the Doctor's arm. Amy's eyes widened in horror as she looked at the painting and she asked slowly: "Doctor? Doctor, what is this?"

Lily took slow, deep breaths, trying to stop from panicking as she stared at the painting. It was a version of 'Starry Night' with the swirling sky, and right in the center of the painting was the Tardis... as it exploded into pieces.

The Doctor slowly raised his head, his expression grim. He reached down to draw Lily in close as he stepped back and fell into a chair while Amy demanded: "Why is it exploding?"

The Doctor pulled Lily onto his lap, still silent and deep in thought.

"I assume it's some kind of warning." River answered.

"What, something's going to happen to the Tardis?" Amy asked.

Lily rubbed the Doctor's arm in a mix of comfort and anxiety while River replied seriously: "It might not be that literal. Anyway, this is where he wanted you." She added, speaking to the Doctor and Lily now.

She nodded back at the painting as she pointed out: "Date and map reference on the door sign, see?"

Lily pursed her lips together. She'd seen the coordinates painted on the door sign instead of the regular message, and she had a terrible feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong there. The Doctor finally spoke as he asked River shortly: "Does it have a title?"

Lily shivered apprehensively as River replied flatly: "The Pandorica Opens."

The Doctor felt her fear, and he pulled her in closer as Amy asked: "The Pandorica? What is it?"

"A box," River explained, "a cage, a prison. It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe."

"And it's a fairy tale, a legend." The Doctor said flatly. His muscles were tense and he was gripping Lily tightly as he argued: "It can't be real."

River snapped back at him: "If it is real, it's here and it's opening."

The Doctor stood up abruptly, pulling Lily along with him as he reached for a bunch of scrolls. River continued sharply: "And it's got something to do with your Tardis exploding."

The Doctor laid out the scrolls he'd pulled and began examining them as River said exasperated: "Hidden, obviously. Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map."

"No," the Doctor retorted in a tight voice, "but if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it."

* * *

The four rode horseback, heading for Stonehenge, urging the horses to gallop as fast as possible. Lily's grip on her reins was so tight her knuckles had turned white. As soon as they arrived, the Doctor hopped off his horse.

He quickly helped Lily down while River helped Amy, and he grabbed her hand tightly as he dashed into the center of the monument. Glancing around quickly, he let her go as he began to sonic the stones while River pulled out her portable computer and began to scan the area. Lily watched the Doctor anxiously while Amy asked River: "How come it's not new?"

"Because it's already old." River replied shortly, "It's been here thousands of years. No one knows exactly how long."

"Okay, this Pandorica thing." Amy said slowly. "Last time we saw you, you warned us about it, after we climbed out of the Byzantium."

"Spoilers." River said quickly, placing a finger to her lips to indicate to Amy to stop talking.

Amy didn't understand and argued: "No, but you told the Doctor you'd see him again when the Pandorica opens."

"She hasn't said it yet." Lily sighed, turning to join their conversation.

River nodded at her as she said: "Smart woman. Always liked you."

She then called out: "Doctor, I'm picking up fry particles everywhere. Energy weapons discharged on this site."

The Doctor had also finished his scans and he returned to Lily's side. He stood on the center rock of the monument as he said thoughtfully: "If the Pandorica is here, it contains the mightiest warrior in history. Now, half the galaxy would want a piece of that. Maybe even fight over it." He added in a murmur.

"More like certainly fight over it." Lily pointed out and he nodded. He suddenly paused and leapt down from the stone, leaning his head down against it as though he were listening intently.

"We need to get down there." He murmured.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time the Doctor and River had finished setting up the devices necessary to move the rock. The Doctor hadn't let Lily go since they'd started their task, and Lily could tell he was feeling as anxious as she was. There was something very wrong about this whole case, and that nervous doubt was keeping the pair closer to each other than usual.

As River set the last device in place, she said grimly: "Right then. Ready."

The Doctor gripped Lily tightly as she leaned into his side. River pressed the commands into her computer and there was the sound of whirring before the stone slowly slid to the side to reveal a staircase leading down into a secret passageway. The group slowly walked closer to the hole in the ground and River switched on a flashlight as the Doctor murmured: "The Underhenge."

He took the lead, pulling out his sonic and using it as a flashlight. Lily followed right behind, their hands still gripping each other tightly. Amy followed and River brought up the rear as they made their way carefully down the passage.

They soon found themselves at a barred wooden door that blocked the entire passage and prevented them from going any further. The Doctor spotted a torch in the corner of the room and used his sonic to light it. River spotted another one on the other side and she grabbed it as the Doctor picked up the now flaming torch.

He kept a hold on Lily's hand as he lit River's torch and they examined the door. He glanced at Lily, giving her hand a quick squeeze before he let it go. She stepped back to give him space as he reached up, dragging the bar away. Lily and Amy watched in a mix of curiosity and fear as the Doctor and River each grabbed one side of the doors and pushed them open.

As soon as the doors were opened enough, the Doctor reached back and grabbed Lily's hand once more. She moved closer, almost touching his back as the four walked slowly into the chamber before them. It was enormous and clearly old; dust and spider webs covered every inch of the room, but their attention was captivated by a large, black cube with circular designs carved into its sides sitting in the center of the room.

"It's a Pandorica." The Doctor breathed, almost in awe, and River murmured: "More than just a fairy tale."

The Doctor walked slowly closer to the Pandorica, Lily following when suddenly his foot hit something on the floor. The pair glanced down and Lily frowned at it. It appeared to be a metal arm, but for some odd reason she felt that it looked familiar.

 _Cyberman._ Her brain supplied and Lily's brows furrowed even further. _Now, how did I know that?_ She wondered, but she was broken from her thoughts as the Doctor moved forward once more, staring at the Pandorica with a deep frown.

The Doctor slowly touched the Pandorica, and he started to tell them the story as he swept a hand across the designs on the cube: "There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world."

"How did it end up in there?" Amy asked while Lily just tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand.

"You know fairy tales." The Doctor replied lightly. "A good wizard tricked it."

He peered at the designs some more before he abruptly let go of Lily's hand and moved to examine the prison from all angles. River commented from behind as she handed her torch to Amy: "I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be him."

She grinned at Lily as she walked over to stand beside the brunette, and Lily smiled back despite the uneasiness inside. River began to scan the Pandorica with her computer as Amy asked: "So, it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then? Almost the same name."

"Oh, you're right." Lily realized while the Doctor asked from where he was roaming around the room: "Sorry, what?"

"The story." Lily told him, while Amy explained: "Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it. That was my favourite book when I was a kid."

Both the Doctor and Lily turned to her sharply at that. The Doctor began to walk over to her, his brows furrowed while Lily examined Amy pensively. Amy blinked and asked in surprise: "What's wrong?"

"Your favourite school topic." The Doctor began suspiciously.

"Your favourite story. Never ignore a coincidence… Unless you're busy." He said randomly as he turned back to the Pandorica, continuing: "In which case, always ignore a coincidence."

Lily frowned, unwilling to give up the topic so easily, but she became distracted as River asked the Doctor: "So can you open it?"

"Easily." The Doctor replied lightly. "Anyone can break _into_ a prison. But I'd rather know what I'm going to find first."

River's face became grim as she stared at her computer. She told him: "You won't have long to wait. It's already opening."

Lily glanced at the box as River explained: "There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled one by one. Like it's being unlocked from the inside."

Lily's brows furrowed while River leaned against the Pandorica, listening to confirm her theory.

"How long do we have?" The Doctor asked quietly.

"Hours at the most." River replied.

"What kind of security?" Lily asked worriedly.

"Everything." River replied. "Deadlocks, time stops, matter lines."

Both Lily and the Doctor frowned, the Doctor asking puzzled: "What could need all that?"

"What could get past all that?" Lily and River corrected at the same time, both focusing more on the potential danger of the situation.

"Think of the fear that went into making this box." The Doctor told them quietly.

He slowly reached over to take Lily's hand once more as he looked back at the Pandorica and wondered: "What could inspire that level of fear?"

He leaned in to examine the patterned side once more and he asked the box softly: "Hello, you. Have we met?"

Lily glanced at him worriedly, while River asked puzzled: "So why would it start to open now?"

"No idea." The Doctor replied shortly as he continued to stare thoughtfully at the Pandorica.

"Ahem." Amy cleared her throat to remind them of her presence. She asked with raised brows: "And how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries."

Lily paused- Amy had a point. The Doctor realized this as well and he pointed his sonic around at the stonewalls of the room, and said aloud: "The stones. These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening."

Lily's face paled as River asked sharply: "Doctor, everyone everywhere?"

The Doctor went on, ignoring her: "Even poor Vincent heard it, in his dreams. But what's in there? What could justify all this?"

He turned back to the Pandorica, not noticing Lily's white face.

"Doctor, everyone?" River asked urgently, and the Doctor once again ignored her as he said: "Anything that powerful, I'd know about it."

River turned to Lily expectantly, exasperated with the Doctor. She saw the look as the Doctor asked in frustration: "Why don't I know?"

"Doctor," Lily interjected quietly, "you said everyone could hear it."

He glanced at her and she asked, her face completely drained of colour: " So who else is coming?"

The Doctor's face also filled with horror as he finally understood what the two women had been trying to get at. He breathed: "Oh."

"Oh? Oh, what?" Amy asked, but the other three were too horrified or terrified to answer.

River turned to the walls as she said shakily: "Okay. If it is basically a transmitter, we should be able to fold back the signal."

She placed her computer on the wall as the Doctor let go of Lily's hand and dashed to a wall, calling to River as he soniced it: "Doing it."

"Doing what?" Amy demanded, and Lily explained to her quietly: "Stonehenge is transmitting, out to the whole universe."

"It's been transmitting for a while," River added, "so who heard?"

She looked at Amy pointedly, who frowned. The Doctor interjected quickly: "Okay, should be feeding back to you now. River, what's out there? Getting anything?"

"Give me a moment." River replied shortly and the Doctor snapped impatiently: "River, quickly. Anything?"

"I said, give me a moment." River snapped back, annoyed. She turned to Lily briefly to say in exasperation: "How you put up with him sometimes."

Lily grimaced and as the Doctor threw his hands in the air in frustration, the brunette woman asked quietly: "River, have you got a reading yet?"

River turned back to her computer and her face fell. She became appalled as she read off her computer: "Around this planet there are at least… ten thousand starships."

She sounded incredulous and Lily blanched, while Amy snapped in terror: "At least?"

"Ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million, I don't know. There's too many readings." River said sharply as she tried to keep up with the information her computer was now giving her.

The Doctor stared up at the ceiling as he asked urgently: "What kind of starships?"

His question was immediately answered as they all heard a very familiar voice call: "Maintaining orbit."

Lily's face was so white River worried she was going to faint. The Doctor's face became absolutely horrified as another voice replied to the first: "I obey. Shield cover compromised on ion sectors."

"Daleks." Amy whispered and her eyes moved to Lily. The girls stared at each other in terror as Amy said shakily: "Those are Daleks."

The Doctor and River both stared at the ceiling as the first Dalek ordered: "Scan detects no temporal activity."

"Soft grid scan commencing." The other Dalek replied.

"Daleks, Doctor." River said, fear laced in her words, but he seemed unable to move as they continued to hear the Daleks calling commands and reports to one another.

"Launch preliminary armaments protocol." The first Dalek ordered and the Doctor finally moved.

He began to pace frantically as he thought aloud: "Yes. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Dalek fleet, minimum twelve thousand battleships, armed to the teeth. Ah!" He cried triumphantly as he turned to them. "But we've got surprise on our side."

He walked back to them, saying excitedly: "They'll never expect four people to attack twelve thousand Dalek battleships. Because we'd be killed instantly."

He stopped before Lily, who stared at him in disbelief as he muttered: "So it would be a fairly short surprise." He whacked himself on the head with his screwdriver. "Forget surprise."

"Course correction proceeding." Another robotic voice began, and River said as she read her computer: "Doctor, Cyberships."

And while Lily had no idea, or thought she had no idea, what that meant, it made her blood run cold. The Doctor snapped as he paced again: "No, Dalek ships. Listen to them. Those are Dalek ships."

"No, there are other voices too." Lily said in a terrified voice.

"Yes." River added. "Dalek ships and Cyberships."

The Doctor quickly walked back to Lily as he muttered: "Well, we need to start a fight, turn them on each other. I mean, that's easy. It's the Daleks. They're so cross."

He reached Lily just as River called further: "Sontaran. Four battlefleets."

"Sontarans." The Doctor repeated in disbelief. He muttered as he took Lily's hand: "Talk about cross, who stole all their handbags?"

"Terileptil." River began to list, her voice going flat as she was no longer able to cope with the amount of fear inside. "Slitheen, Chelonian, Nestene," the Doctor slowly wrapped an arm around Lily as she began to shake, "Drahvin. Sycorax, Haemogoth, Zygon, Atraxi, Draconian."

The Doctor turned to face the Pandorica as River called in a horrified voice: "They're all here for the Pandorica."

The Doctor stared at the black prison box, murmuring in confusion: "What are you? What could you possibly be?"

He touched in briefly before he reached down for Lily's hand again. Holding her hand tightly he turned and began to run back out of the chamber, and River and Amy followed quickly. As the four ran out into Stonehenge Lily's eyes widened in fear. They all stopped, staring with wide eyes at the thousands of spaceships flying around in the sky.

"What do we do?" Amy whispered in terror, and River said sharply: "Doctor, listen to me. Everything that ever hated you is coming here tonight. You can't win this. You can't even fight it."

The Doctor didn't reply and River snapped at him: "Doctor, this once, just this one time, please, you have to run. Lily, tell him."

"Run where?" The Doctor asked pointedly while Lily shook her head at River, who shot back incredulously: "Fight how?"

The Doctor spotted movement in the distance and he pulled out his binoculars to see what it was.

"Doctor?" Lily asked, and he said to her quietly: "The greatest military machine in the history of the universe."

Her mouth fell open as she stared at him in disbelief.

"What is? The Daleks?" Amy asked, and the Doctor replied as he turned back to the others: "No. No, no, no, no, no. The Romans."

* * *

Lily waited patiently by the Pandorica as the Doctor circled it, examining every feature intently. Amy walked around the room, lighting the torches as they waited for River to return from her trip to the Roman army. Amy asked as she lit the last torch: "So what's this got to do with the Tardis?"

"Nothing, as far as I know." The Doctor replied, and Amy pointed out: "But Vincent's painting. The Tardis was exploding. Is that going to happen?"

"One problem at a time." The Doctor replied shortly as he began to read River's computer again. "There's forcefield technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge. Could buy us half an hour."

"What good is half an hour?" Amy demanded as she placed her hands on her hips, and the Doctor retorted as he began to listen to the Pandorica with a small satellite-disc: "There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom Six that live for twenty minutes and they don't even mate for life."

Amy raised her brows while Lily cocked her head. The Doctor muttered: "There was going to be a point to that. I'll get back to you."

Lily sighed and stood up, wandering off to examine the rest of the chamber. Amy glanced at her and then sidled over to the Doctor, asking quietly: "So, are you proposing to Lily?"

He frowned and asked: "I'm sorry?"

He glanced at her to see she was holding up the red velvet ring box. Amy explained as she held it up pointedly: "I found this in your pocket."

The Doctor's face fell and he muttered: "No. No, no, that's er, a memory. A friend of mine. Someone I lost."

He gestured for it as he asked quietly: "Do you mind?"

Amy frowned at him and then at the box. She clutched it as she murmured: "It's weird. I feel, I don't know, something."

She continued to stare at the ring inside, and the Doctor said softly: "People fall out of the world sometimes, but they always leave traces. Little things we can't quite account for. Faces in photographs, luggage, half eaten meals, rings."

He nodded at the box and Amy continued to stare at it as the Doctor slowly turned to look at Lily, murmuring sadly: "Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it can come back."

Amy clutched the box tightly, before she quickly snapped it shut and asked: "So, was she nice, your friend?"

The Doctor smiled sadly, taking the box back as he turned away sadly.

*A/N Eek, we're here! I know you've all been waiting for this, and it's just getting started! For those frustrated with Lily's lost memories... it is coming UP!


	35. 12-2 Cracks in Time

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor moved to examine the Pandorica once more before he paused. He turned abruptly back to Amy and he asked her seriously: "Remember that night you flew away with me?"

"Of course I do." Amy replied in surprise.

"And you asked me why I was taking you and I told you there wasn't a reason." and the Doctor continued.

"I was lying." He admitted and Amy scoffed: "I know that. You liked Lily, even from before then."

The Doctor pulled a face, but didn't contradict her as he added: "I had another reason."

"What, so you had another a reason?" Amy asked confusedly, and the Doctor said shortly: "Your house."

"My house." Amy replied incredulously, scoffing a little, but the Doctor explained: "It was too big. Too many empty rooms."

He examined her before he asked her seriously: "Does it ever bother you, Amy, that your life doesn't make any sense?"

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily glanced over at the other two as she walked away from the stonewalls and pillars that she had been examining. She frowned when she saw Amy's face, which was a mixture of disapproval and confusion although it looked like confusion was winning out.

Lily opened her mouth to call out to them and ask what was wrong, when she saw something move from the corner of her eye. She glanced at it and cried sharply in warning: "Doctor! Amy!"

A weapon's blast hit the Pandorica right behind Amy, and she and the Doctor jumped. They glanced back as Lily ran towards them, both of them spotting the mechanical arm from earlier as it continued to fire at them. Amy ran to hide behind the Pandorica as the Doctor yelled at Lily: "Lily, here, quick!"

She ran to hide with him behind the Pandorica on the other side as the arm kept shooting at them. She ducked behind the Pandorica and the Doctor quickly ran after her, just missing being hit by one of the laser shots. He grabbed Lily's hand and they dashed around to meet Amy at the back, and she asked in terror: "What was that?"

"Okay, I need a proper look." The Doctor replied breathlessly. "Got to draw its fire, give it a target."

"How?" Amy demanded.

The Doctor squeezed Lily's hand as he replied: "You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas?"

Lily's heart sank. _I don't like where this is going._

"Yes." Amy replied, rolling her eyes and the Doctor said shortly: "Sorry."

He let go of Lily's hand and ran out.

"Doctor!" Lily whisper-yelled after him in fear, and then she slapped her hand over her face as they heard the Doctor yell: "Look at me, I'm a target!"

Lily and Amy ran to go after him, but jumped as another blast hit. Amy shrieked while Lily breathed in relief as they saw the Doctor duck behind a stone pillar, safe. Amy called to him: "What is that?

"Cyberarm. Arm of Cyberman" The Doctor replied, and Lily frowned.

"And what's a Cyberman?" Amy asked, and the Doctor replied airily as the arm continued to shoot in their general direction: "Oh, sort of part man, part robot. The organic part must have died out years ago. Now the robot part is looking for, well," he shrugged a little, "fresh meat."

Lily's mouth fell open while Amy asked, eyes wide with terror: "What, us?"

"Yeah, it's just like being an organ donor," The Doctor explained, "except you're alive and sort of screaming."

Lily and Amy's faces blanched and he quickly said: "I need to get round behind it. Amy, Lily, could you draw its fire?"

"What, like you did?" Amy snarled, and the Doctor replied: "You'll be fine if you're quick. It's only got one arm, literally."

He gave her the thumbs up, and she grimaced at him. But Lily grabbed the redhead and before either of the others could say anything she ran out instead.

"Lily!" Amy cried, but Lily just screamed louder to draw the arm's attention. She ducked and ran on as the arm fired at her, and the Doctor quickly dashed out and pounced on the arm. Lily ducked behind a stone pillar as the Doctor wrestled with the arm, trying to hold it still as he reached for his sonic.

"Come here!" He shouted at it as he pointed the sonic at it, and it went dead. Lily poked her head out as Amy called: "Doctor?"

She stepped out as he called back: "Scrambled its circuits, but stay where you are, it could be bluffing."

Amy frowned as she walked over while Lily paused by the pillar. Amy asked skeptically: "Bluffing? It's an arm."

"It was shooting at us on its own." Lily pointed out, but Amy continued to step towards the Doctor.

He saw her and called sharply: "I said stay where you are!"

Amy pouted and walked back to stand behind a stone pillar, crossing her arms petulantly. She suddenly felt something wrap around her ankle and she glanced down to see a wire cord wrapping itself around her ankle.

"Doctor?" She asked, and both the Doctor and Lily looked over as she shrieked, pulled to the ground.

"Amy!" They cried in alarm, when the Cyberarm shocked the Doctor, knocking him out.

"Doctor!" Lily screamed, pausing and unable to decide who to help first.

Amy shrieked, and Lily quickly made up her mind and raced around the pillar to help the redhead. She paused for a moment, staring in shock at a Cyberhead which had metal wires coming out of its neck. The wires were whipping around, trying to get a hold of Amy as they wrapped around her leg and arms.

"Amy!" Lily screamed as the head began to drag itself closer. She ran and grabbed the head around where its ears should be, trying to get it to let Amy go. She wrestled with the head as it whipped its wires around at her, when suddenly it began to sizzle and open down the center of its face.

Lily screamed as the head opened to reveal a shriveled skull, and Amy joined her as the skull dropped out to leave the head empty. Lily shrieked as the Cyberhead began to snap at her, opening and shutting as it tried to get itself around either her or Amy's head.

Amy struggled against the bonds while Lily struggled to keep the head away from her, before she smashed it against the stone pillar. Amy pulled at the wires, making one snap and the head fizzled a little. Lily whacked it against the stone pillar again, and again, until it let Amy go at which point she threw it against the wall.

Lily ran to grab Amy, checking her as the head made mechanical whirring noises. They both stared at it warily as the wires began to move the head so that it was crawling along the floor towards them.

"Doctor?" Amy called as they backed away, and Lily muttered: "He's out for the count."

The head suddenly shot a small dart, hitting Amy on the neck. She winced and Lily called in alarm: "Amy?"

She then ducked as the head fired another dart, this time in her direction. Lily tried to pull Amy with her as she backed away, the redhead shaking her head to try and clear it as the sedative took effect.

"Amy." Lily said urgently, just as another dart fired. This time, she wasn't quick enough and it hit her arm. She pulled it out quickly, even though she knew it wouldn't do much good.

She glanced at the Cyberhead as it said in its emotionless voice: "You will be assimilated."

Lily could feel the sedative beginning to take hold but she fought it as Amy scoffed at the head, although she sounded a little drowsy: "Yeah? You and whose body?"

The girls froze as they heard footsteps, and a robotic whirring. The girls slowly lifted their eyes to see a headless Cyberman enter from the far side of the room. It turned to reveal it was also missing one arm as it marched towards them.

"You had to ask." Lily gasped as they backed away from the marching body. The girls watched in horror as it picked up its head and placed it back on before it lifted its one arm towards them as it marched at them.

"Amy, run!" Lily cried, pushing the redhead out the doors as she ran to the other side of the room.

"Hey, ugly!" Lily called while Amy grabbed a flaming torch. The Cyberman paused, looking between the pair, but then Amy whipped the torch around right before it and it turned to her.

"Amy, I said run!" Lily cried as the world began to spin a little. If she was starting to feel hazy, Amy was probably in a worse state. Sure enough, the redhead stumbled, tripping over her feet.

"Amy!" Lily shouted, but luckily the girl fell through the wooden doors and the doors slammed behind her.

"Doctor! Lily!" Amy shrieked as the Cyberman began to pound on the doors, trying to open it.

"Hey, over here, you freak!" Lily shouted at it. It turned and she suddenly wished she hadn't said anything. She shrieked as it took a step towards her when suddenly a Roman Centurion charged into the room.

Lily blinked, wondering if this was a hallucination as the Roman stabbed its sword through the Cyberman's body, killing it and pinning it to the door. She heard Amy shriek from the other side of the doors and she called in alarm even as the world continued to spin: "Amy?"

The Roman opened the door and walked over to Amy. Lily stumbled at them, unsure if she could trust the soldier as Amy demanded, trying to focus: "Who, who are you?"

The Centurion removed his helmet and Lily could see the back of a blond man's head as he greeted: "Hello, Amy."

She frowned- how did he know Amy's name?- when Amy suddenly passed out. Lily staggered, watching the Roman catch Amy carefully before - deeming her friend safe enough - she finally let the darkness claim her.

She passed out, falling towards the ground although she thought she heard the Doctor call: "Lily!"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor slowly came to, and his eyes opened to see a squadron of Romans entering the chamber and circling to secure the room. But his attention was immediately pulled to Lily as he spotted the familiar brunette stagger in the middle of the room.

She abruptly collapsed and he shouted in alarm: "Lily!"

He dashed to her, throwing himself to catch her just in time before her head hit the floor. He soniced her quickly, trying to ignore his pounding hearts and breathed as he realized she was just sedated and that she would be fine.

He looked up to see what Lily had been heading towards before she fainted and saw the Cyberman skewered to the door by a Roman sword. He glanced back at Lily and then around the room and realized there was only one reason Lily would be heading _towards_ a Cyberman.

"Amy?" He called sharply.

He stood up, picking Lily up in his arms bridal style as he called: "Where's Amy?"

"She's fine, Doctor." A familiar voice answered from behind the doors and he quickly walked over to the sound.

He arrived in the doorway just as the man finished: "Just unconscious."

The Doctor gently placed Lily beside the redhead to examine Amy, and he muttered: "Okay. Yes, she's sedated, same as Lily. Half an hour, they'll be fine."

He turned to the soldiers in the room and muttered: "Okay, Romans. Good. I was just wishing for Romans. Good old River. How many?"

He asked as he wandered to check the chamber again, and the Centurion replied: "Fifty men up top, volunteers. What about that thing?"

He pointed at the Cyberman, but the Doctor ignored that as he asked him skeptically: "Fifty? You're not exactly a legion."

"Your friend was very persuasive, but, uh, it's a tough sell." The Centurion retorted.

"Yes, I know that, Rory." The Doctor replied flatly. "I'm not exactly one to miss the obvious."

Rory looked at him in disbelief as the Doctor went on, now looking around the Underhenge: "But we need everything we can get."

"Uh-" Rory began but the Doctor went on as he found what he was looking for: "Okay, Cyberweapons."

He picked up the guns as he said: "This is basically a sentry box, so headless wonder here was a sentry."

He whacked the Cyberman carelessly as he added: "Probably got himself duffed up by the locals. Never underestimate a Celt."

"Doctor-" Rory began, but the Doctor interrupted: "Hush, Rory. Thinking. Why leave a Cyberman on guard, unless it's a Cyberthing in the box. But why would they lock up one of their own? Okay, no, not a Cyberthing, but what? What?"

He groaned as he walked back up to Rory and said as he stopped before the other man: "No, I'm missing something obvious, Rory. Something big. Something right slap in front of me. I can feel it."

"Yeah, I think you probably are." Rory replied flatly.

"I'll get it in a minute." The Doctor sighed. He walked out into the Pandorica chamber carrying the weapons and Rory just stood there, waiting silently.

A second later, there was the sound of the weapons being dropped, and the Doctor returned to the Underhenge, staring at Rory. He walked up slowly, and then prodded Rory on the chest, making the Centurion sway back on his heels, as though checking he was real.

Seeing that it was indeed Rory, the Doctor finally murmured: "Hello again."

"Hello." Rory answered, before an awkward silence fell.

The Doctor shoved his hands in his pocket, shifting uncomfortably before asking lightly: "How've you been?"

"Good. "Rory replied. "Yeah. Good. I mean, Roman."

He gestured down at himself and the Doctor interjected: "Rory, I'm not trying to be rude," Rory nodded, "but you died."

The Doctor stared at Rory who replied flatly: "Yeah, I know. I was there."

"You died," the Doctor interrupted impatiently, "and then you were erased from time. You didn't just die, you were never born at all. You never existed."

Rory stopped the Doctor as he asked sharply: "Erased? What does that mean?"

"How can you be here?" The Doctor asked incredulously and Rory replied slowly, also becoming confused: "I don't know. It's kind of fuzzy."

He began to rub his forehead while the Doctor asked thoughtfully: "Fuzzy?"

"Well, I died and turned into a Roman." Rory pointed out. "It's very distracting."

He turned back to Amy as the Doctor fell into thought. Rory caressed Amy's cheek and he asked softly: "Did she miss me?"

The Doctor's face fell, and he was unable to answer as he bowed his head. Thankfully, or not, he was saved from answering as the whole room shook almost like there was an earthquake.

The Doctor glanced at Lily before he quickly ran into the Pandorica chamber, Rory following after one last loving glance at Amy. The Doctor circled the Pandorica, examining it as the circular patterns on it began to glow green and it moved, clanking as the cogs began to turn and unlock.

The Doctor quickly soniced it as Rory asked urgently: "What is it? What's happening?"

"The final phase." The Doctor answered in a mix of awe and horror. "It's opening."

* * *

"You're surrounded." River spoke into her spare computer. "Have you got a plan?"

"Yes." The Doctor replied impatiently as he soniced the Pandorica. "Now hurry up and get the Tardis here. I need equipment."

He hung up and began to circle the Pandorica again, asking under his breath: "What are you? They're all here, all of them, all for you. What could you possibly be?"

He glanced up as he heard more and more spaceships arriving and made a quick decision. He grabbed the computer and switched it into a loud speaker as he ran out the chamber.

As he dashed through the Underhenge he called to the spaceships: "Hello, Stonehenge! Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe. But bad news, everyone," he jumped out into Stonehenge and leapt onto the center, altar stone as he cried: "Because guess who? Ha!"

He winked at Rory, who rolled his eyes, while the rest of his Roman legions stood in a circle around the monument. They all stared at the Doctor as he yelled at the sky: "Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about. It's really very distracting. Could you all just stay still a minute because I am talking!"

All the spaceships stopped moving, focusing on him.

"The question of the hour is, who's got the Pandorica?" The Doctor asked shortly. "Answer, I do. Next question. Who's coming to take it from me?"

The Doctor spread his arms wide as he stared at the ships.

"Come on!" He taunted them. "Look at me. No plan, no back up, no weapons worth a damn. Oh, and something else. I have something to lose! So, if you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceship, with all your silly little guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who's standing in your way, and what happened every time you dared to place those I cared for in danger."

He pointed at the ships as he shouted at them: "Remember every black day I ever stopped you, and then, and then, do the smart thing." He ordered.

He stared up at the ships as he added quietly: "Let somebody else try first."

The Doctor watched triumphantly as all the spaceships pulled a retreat, disappearing from the skies. He tosses the computer to Rory as he commented, climbing back down from the altar stone: "That'll keep them squabbling for half an hour."

The Doctor glanced around, and then added mockingly: "Romans."

He grinned and Rory sighed in annoyance before he nodded at his troops to move out. As they secured Stonehenge, the Doctor ran back to the Underhenge. Rory followed and paused as he watched the Doctor bending down by Lily, carefully caressing her cheek and moving a piece of her hair out of her face.

Rory watched silently for a moment, before he stepped forward and asked the Doctor: "They're still out there. What do we do now?"

The Doctor looked up and replied as he stood and made his way into the Pandorica chamber: "If I can stop whatever's in this box getting out, then they'll go home."

"Right." Rory muttered and the Doctor added as he saw movement from the Underhenge: "Rory, I'm sorry. You're going to have to be very brave now."

The Roman looked confused but glanced back as he heard footsteps from behind. Amy walked in while Lily slowly stood up. Rory's face lit up, only to drop in confusion as Amy walked right by him, and groaned to the Doctor: "Oh, my head."

"Ah." The Doctor ordered as he opened his mouth.

"Ah." Amy copied, and he checked inside her mouth as Lily staggered past Rory as well.

"Just your basic knock-out drops." The Doctor assured Amy. "Get some fresh air, you'll be fine."

He turned to hug Lily in relief, carefully not meeting Rory's eyes as Amy asked: "Is it safe up there?"

"Not remotely, but it's fresh." The Doctor answered as he let Lily go and turned to the Pandorica once more, avoiding Rory.

"Fine." Amy retorted, turning away and she found herself face to face with Rory.

"Oh, you're the guy, yeah?" She asked as Lily glanced over. "The one who did the," Amy mimed stabbing, "swordy thing."

"Yeah." Rory said slowly, still confused and Amy replied lightly: "Well, thanks for the swording. Nice swording."

She patted his chest and then called over her shoulder: "Lily, you coming?"

"Sure." The brunette answered, patting the Doctor's back. He nodded, and the two women left, Lily smiling and nodding in thanks at Rory without recognizing him. He watched dumbfounded as the girls, just left like that with nothing else said.

"No problem." Rory said belatedly in response to Amy, still in shock.

He turned quickly, adding hopefully after the redhead: "My men are up there. They'll… they'll look after you."

The Doctor finally turned around as Amy didn't even look back while she called: "Good. Love a Roman."

Lily glanced back, and she added: "Thanks again… Centurion, wasn't it?"

He nodded numbly and Lily smiled at him, and then at the Doctor behind him before she followed Amy out into Stonehenge.

"She doesn't remember me." Rory said, still in shock.

He whipped around to the Doctor as he demanded: "How can she not remember me?"

The Doctor sighed and then he explained sadly: "Because you never existed."

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

"You know, it's funny." Lily commented as she walked towards the edge of the monument. "That Centurion, he looked kind of familiar, don't you think?"

Amy shrugged as she stood by the center altar.

"I don't know, he seemed kind of odd to me." She replied with disinterest. Lily had just stepped past the stone pillar when suddenly they heard a familiar wheezing and the Tardis materialized around the brunette girl.

"What?" Lily asked blankly, and Amy shouted: "Lily?"

Lily disappeared inside the Tardis as it appeared around her, and Amy frowned in confusion and then alarm as the Tardis wheezed once more and disappeared.

"Lily!" Amy cried, taking a step forward before she stopped in confusion.

She blinked and looked around, wondering why her heart was pounding frantically.

' _What was I doing just now again?'_ She wondered and then shrugged, turning to enjoy the fresh air, completely forgetting what had just happened.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily blinked to find herself inside the Tardis.

"Hi, River-" Lily began when the Tardis lurched and it wheezed again.

"River?" Lily yelled as they dematerialized once more, and River shouted back: "I don't know! I don't know what it's doing! What's wrong?"

She addressed the question to the Tardis again frantically and Lily's eyes widened as they spun, the Tardis falling widely through the Time Vortex.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor explained to Rory: "There are cracks. Cracks in time. There's going to be a huge explosion in the future, on one particular day. And every other moment in history is cracking around it."

"So how does that work?" Rory demanded. "What kind of explosion? What exploded?"

The Doctor paused as he remembered the readings from the Byzantium, and his own words: ' _Amy's time'_. He also remembered the burnt piece of the Tardis that he'd pulled from the crack in the wall right before Rory had died.

But he said to Rory shortly: "Doesn't matter. The cracks are everywhere now. Get too close to them and you can fall right out of the universe."

"So I fell through a crack and now I was never born?" Rory asked incredulously.

"Basically." The Doctor answered as he soniced the Pandorica again, and Rory asked trying to keep calm: "Well, how did I end up here?"

"I don't know," the Doctor sighed, "you shouldn't have."

He paused and then whipped around asking Rory intently: "What happened? From your point of view, what physically happened?"

"I was in the cave," Rory said slowly, "with you and Lily and Amy. I was dying, and, and then I was just here, a Roman soldier. A proper Roman. Head full of Roman…" he indicated his head as he struggled to find the word, "stuff."

He sighed as he told the Doctor: "A whole other life, just here like I'd woken up from a dream. I started to think it was a dream, you and Lily and Amy and Leadworth."

He began to pace nervously as he continued: "And then today, in the camp, the men were talking about the visitors."

He paused as he murmured longingly: "The girl with the red hair."

He snorted in sarcastic amusement as he said, turning back to the Doctor: "I thought you'd come back for me. But she can't even remember me. Neither can my best friend!"

"Oh, shut up." The Doctor interrupted, and Rory asked, hurt and confused: "What?"

The Doctor pulled out the ring box and tossed it to Rory. He caught it and blinked in surprise, slowly opening it. The Doctor told him lightly as Rory stared at the ring still snuggled inside: "Go get her."

Rory stared at the Doctor, and asked slowly: "But I don't understand. Why am I here?"

"Because you are." The Doctor replied seriously. "The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous, and sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles, and that's the theory."

He walked to stand right before Rory as he said seriously: "Nine hundred years, never seen one yet, closest I got was when I met Lily – twice, too -, but this would do me."

He stared at Rory and then chided: "Now get upstairs. She's Amy and she's surrounded by Romans. I'm not sure history can take it." He joked and Rory glanced up before he looked back at the Doctor.

He nodded once, looking a little afraid and the Doctor patted Rory's shoulder encouragingly as the other man strode off to face the love of his life, who currently couldn't remember he existed.

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

The Tardis finally came to a stop, throwing River and Lily into each other as they clutched the console. They breathed heavily and River said slowly: "Okay."

The pair stared at the Tardis as it just remained silent and River asked in exasperation: "You okay now?"

"Where are we?" Lily asked, as both she and River looked at the scanner.

It just whizzed, and fizzled in and out of focus. River tried hitting it but it didn't do anything.

"Come on." Lily sighed. "Let's take a look for ourselves."

The pair walked out the doors, just missing the scanner showing the reading: 'Location: Earth. Date: 26/06/2010' before the screen cracked in a w-shape, and a voice snarled menacingly: "Silence will fall."


	36. 12-3 Cracks in the Wall

*A/N Sorry in advance because there is more jumping around in P.O.V. in this chapter than even the previous chapter.

Lily P.O.V.

Lily frowned as she stared up at Amy's house and River murmured: "Why did it bring me here?"

She glanced at Lily thoughtfully as she added: "And it picked you up on the way too. Why?"

Lily glanced at River in surprise.

"That wasn't you?" She asked and River shook her head.

"No." She answered. "I lost control of the Tardis as soon as I stepped inside. First time that's happened. It suddenly took off, collected you, and bam!" She indicated Amy's house. "Here we are."

Lily frowned and she stared at the house as she wondered: "Why would it bring us here? Why me?"

Lily then spotted something on the lawn and pointed.

"River." She said quietly, and River glanced down at the scorch marks. She then glanced at the front door and nudged Lily.

Lily looked up to see the front door hanging off its hinges and her blood ran cold. River pulled out her computer as she mumbled: "Okay, so something's been here."

"Is it safe?" Lily asked quietly, and River nodded as they walked slowly into the house.

"Whatever it was, it's already gone." She said quietly as they slowly made their way up the stairs towards Amy's bedroom. River still held Lily back as she peered in first, just in case, pulling out a flashlight.

They made their way inside slowly, and River spotted one of Amy's 'Raggedy Doctor' dolls on the dresser and sighed: "Amy. Oh, Lily, why do you let the Doctor out?"

Lily wrinkled her nose and paused as something by the wardrobe caught her eye. River followed her computer's scans, moving to the bookshelf while Lily slowly walked over to the wedding dress hanging on Amy's wardrobe door.

"What's this doing here?" Lily murmured as she touched the dress and River called softly: "Lily, come see this."

Lily turned to see River holding a book, and she walked over to see it was a copy of 'The Story of Roman Britain'. She remembered what Amy had said: " _My favourite topic at school. 'Invasion of the hot Italians'."_

And beside it, a copy of 'The Legend of Pandora's box'. Both of them remembered Amy's words: " _So, it's kinda like Pandora's box then. That was my favorite book when I was a kid._ "

Lily's blood chilled and she whispered: "Oh, my God."

"Oh no." River whispered in grim agreement.

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

Amy stood wrapped in a blanket, staring into space thoughtfully. She felt like there was something she was missing, something important. She was broken from her thoughts as the Roman from earlier walked over and asked: "Are you okay?"

Amy glanced at the Centurion and sighed.

"Did the Doctor send you?" She asked, annoyed. "I'm fine. He just fusses. He'd do better to worry about…" Amy trailed off, confused.

 _'What was I about to say?'_ She wondered, before she was once again interrupted as the Roman commented: "You got a blanket. That's good."

He paused and then added with a frown: "Who gave you that?"

"One of the fellows." Amy replied with a shrug and the Centurion demanded: "Which one?"

Amy looked at him oddly as she answered confusedly: "Just one of them. Does it matter?"

She turned away again as the Centurion muttered: "No. No. Forget him. It. Forget it."

Amy looked at him again, and she asked curiously: "What's your name?"

"I'm… Rory." He answered slowly, and Amy blinked as her heart suddenly pounded.

She turned away, confused and Rory asked alarmed: "What's wrong?"

She looked at him and said quickly: "Nothing. It's just… not what you expect Romans to be called." She said distractedly, trying to understand why she suddenly felt elated.

She added hastily, trying to distract herself: "What's it short for? Roranicus?"

She chuckled at her own joke, but it was weak, so she turned away quickly.

"Yeah." Rory muttered, and then he paused.

"You're crying." He pointed out and Amy wiped her eyes, confused and not understanding what was happening anymore.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor checked his watch and groaned. He called River and demanded when she picked up: "The Tardis, where is it? Hurry up."

He began sonicing the Pandorica again, impatient, but paused as River said quietly but urgently: "Don't raise your voice, don't look alarmed, just listen."

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Rory asked concernedly as Amy began to sob.

"Nothing." Amy choked out, still confused.

"It's like," she muttered as she looked at Rory bewilderedly, "it's like I'm happy. Why am I happy?"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

"They're not real." River was explaining tightly. "They can't be. They're all right here in the story book. Those actual Romans. The ones I sent you, the ones you're with right now. They're all in a book in Amy's house. A children's picture book."

"What are you even doing there?" The Doctor demanded, and River replied tightly: "It doesn't matter. The Tardis went wrong."

"What do you mean 'wrong'?" He asked irritably, but then he froze as Lily's voice answered: "Now's not the time to worry about that yet, Doctor. How is this possible? How can they be the same?"

"Lily?" The Doctor demanded. "What are you doing there?"

"Like River said, the Tardis went all funny." Lily answered impatiently. "It suddenly materialized around me and took off with me."

"Doctor, focus." River added. "How is this possible?"

The Doctor explained as he thought aloud: "Something's using her memories. Amy's memories."

"But how?" River demanded and the Doctor glanced at the Romans in the Pandorica chamber with him, and he checked: "You said something had been there."

"Yes." River replied.

"There's burn marks on the grass outside." Lily added, and River finished: "Landing patterns."

"If they've been to her house, they could have used her psychic residue." The Doctor murmured. "Structures can hold memories, that's why houses have ghosts. They could've taken a snapshot of Amy's memories."

He frowned as he wondered: "But why?"

* * *

Lily P.O.V.

Lily's brows furrowed while River demanded quietly, still flipping through Amy's book as they stood in the Tardis: "Doctor, who are those Romans?"

"Projections, or… duplicates." The Doctor answered in a low voice.

Lily's heart sank while River protested: "But they were helping us. My lipstick even worked."

"Lipstick?" Lily asked puzzled.

"I have lipstick that can make people hallucinate." River explained quickly. "It's why they thought I was Cleopatra."

"Oh." Lily murmured as the Doctor said thoughtfully: "They might think they're real. The perfect disguise."

He realized: "They actually believe their own cover story… right until they're activated."

Lily clenched her fists as River continued to turn pages in the book, and then both she and River froze.

"Oh, my God." Lily whispered in horror.

"Lily, what is it? Lily?" The Doctor demanded urgently but River was the one who replied slowly as she and Lily stared at the picture: "Doctor, that Centurion."

"Doctor, it's Rory." Lily whispered.

Her heart was beating wildly as she picked up the photograph that had been inside the book, a photo from Halloween two years ago with Amy in her policewoman kissogram outfit… and Rory dressed as a Roman, looking exactly like how he had been at the Pandorica.

Sweet old Rory, who had become her best friend and who had loved Amy enough that he would probably go to the end of the universe for her. How could Lily have…?

Suddenly Lily had a splitting headache, and she clutched her head.

"Lily?" River asked, catching the movement, and Lily whispered: "How could I have forgotten Rory?"

River's face turned grim, and a hint of understanding entered her eyes.

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

"What's the matter?" Rory asked worriedly and Amy repeated: "Nothing."

But as she glanced at Rory, it was like her heart was breaking and her hand reached out of its own accord to touch his face. He stared at her wide-eyed and Amy admitted: "I don't know why I'm doing that."

Rory grabbed her hand and he whispered: "It's me."

Amy didn't understand and her brows furrowed in confusion. Rory stared at her and as he saw no further recognition he pleaded, tears of his own welling up: "Amy, please. It's me."

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"It's a trap." River was saying as she re-entered the Tardis, Lily stumbling in after her with continued winces. "It has to be. They used Amy to construct a scenario you'd believe, to get close to you. He can't be there; Lily told me she couldn't even remember him until just now."

"Why?" The Doctor demanded, pacing frantically as he thought. "Who'd do that? What for? It doesn't make sense. And what do you mean Lily remembered him?"

Suddenly there was a loud bang from the other side of the phone and he paused in his pacing.

"River?" He asked urgently, but there was no answer.

"Lily? River, Lily, what's happening?" He demanded in alarm.

* * *

River P.O.V.

"I don't know." River told the Doctor as she ran about the console.

"It's the engines. Doctor, there's something wrong with the Tardis, like something else is controlling it. Lily, give me a hand." She ordered as she fought for control.

When there was no reply, River glanced back to see the brunette had sunk to the floor by the railings, clutching her head tightly as she curled in pain.

"Lily?" She asked in alarm while the Doctor snapped over the phone: "You're flying it wrong."

"I'm flying it perfectly." River snapped at him as she leaned down over Lily.

She then touched the brunette, asking softly, trying not to draw the Doctor's attention to the fact that something might be wrong with her: "Lily?"

"Where are you? What's the date reading?" The Doctor asked and River left Lily for the moment as she quickly checked the scanner.

"It's the 26th of June, 2010." She told him, when suddenly Lily moaned from behind her.

She whipped back towards the girl as the Doctor ordered urgently: "You need to get out of there now. Any other time zone, just go!"

"I can't break free!" River shouted back as she tried to move the controls, becoming agitated between the fear that was clear in the Doctor's voice and Lily's continuous moans of pain.

"Well, then, shut down the Tardis. Shut down everything!" The Doctor ordered frantically and River snapped at him: "I can't!"

"Donna Noble."

River's head shot up and she turned to look at Lily again in surprise.

"What?" She asked the brunette girl, but Lily didn't seem able to hear her as she muttered, still clutching her head in pain: "Mickey Smith. Aunt Jackie. Uncle Pete. Rose."

"Lily?" River asked worriedly as she let go of the console once more to bend over the younger woman.

"River, what's happening?" The Doctor demanded and River answered fearfully as she tried to get the brunette to let go of her head so River could examine her: "Doctor, there's something wrong with Lily."

"Boe. dead. Reinette, dead. Dead, so many dead." Lily wailed quietly and River was frightened for the girl.

"Lily." She said urgently, but the girl was speaking faster and faster: "Martha Jones. Jack Harkness. Sarah Jane. K9."

She wailed again, louder this time and River clutched the girl when suddenly a menacing voice snarled through the Tardis speakers: "Silence will fall."

River stared around the Tardis in alarm as the voice repeated, its words echoing a little: "Silence will fall."

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

Amy stared at Rory, and she quickly pulled her hand back, taking a step back. Her heart was thundering as she said shakily: "But I don't know you, I've never seen you before in my life."

"You have. You know you have! It's me." Rory pleaded, his voice breaking and Amy demanded, ignoring him: "Why am I crying?"

"Because you remember me." Rory cried.

He stepped after her and Amy stared at him in confusion as he begged: "I came back. You're crying because you remember me."

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

"Someone else is flying the Tardis." River was saying urgently. "An external force. I've lost control."

"Okay, but what about Lily? Is she alright?" The Doctor demanded, unable to focus as he worried about the young woman.

"Doctor, focus on the problem! Lily's not going to get any better if I can't get the Tardis under control." River snapped, sounding agitated beyond belief.

Unfortunately, that only confirmed the Doctor's fears that something was very wrong with Lily - River wouldn't lose her composure over anything else.

"What's wrong with Lily?" He demanded, and River yelled at him: "I don't know!"

The Doctor's hearts stopped, his blood going cold. River went on desperately: "I think it's whatever's wrong with the Tardis, so Doctor, what do I do?"

He tried to focus though and he began to pace again as he muttered: "Okay, fine. But how? Why?" He demanded, when suddenly there was a high-pitched ringing throughout the whole chamber.

He stuck a finger in his ear, gritting his teeth against the noise coming from… the Pandorica. The Doctor said to River urgently: "Listen to me, just land her anywhere. Emergency landing, now. There are cracks in time. I've seen them everywhere, and they're getting wider."

He was so focused on the call, he missed the Romans all slumping over and then slowly drawing upright mechanically, their eyes glazed over. The Doctor went on, saying to River desperately: "The Tardis exploding is what causes them, but we can stop the cracks ever happening if you just land her."

 **"** It's not safe." River retorted, although the Doctor heard her starting to press buttons on the console. There was a clang from behind him, and the Doctor turned as the Pandorica as the final cogs slid back.

A blinding white light flooded out as the box slowly opened and the Doctor murmured grimly: "Well, now. Ready to come out, are we?"

* * *

River P.O.V.

The console banged and sparked as River tried to land. She finally got the Tardis to stop moving and she called: "Doctor? I'm down. I've landed."

"Okay, just walk out of the doors." He ordered. "If there's no one inside, the Tardis engines shut down automatically."

"What about Lily?" River asked as she glanced at the now numb brunette girl. Lily was curled into a tight ball, her arms wrapped around her knees and tucking them under her chin as she stared at the ground with unseeing eyes.

"Take her with you. Just get out of there." The Doctor ordered and River murmured: "Right, we're going."

She reached down and grabbed Lily, hauling up the unresponsive girl as the Doctor shouted at her: "Run!"

River dragged Lily with her to the doors, but they wouldn't open, no matter how hard she shoved.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor waited impatiently, using the brief moment of silence to sonic the Pandorica again, trying to figure out what was inside. Suddenly River shouted through the phone: "Doctor! Doctor, I can't open the doors!"

The Doctor turned to answer, when he spotted the Romans marching towards him. Their eyes were glazed, unfocused, and their fingers had unhinged to reveal small guns.

' _They're Autons.'_ He realized at last and then a horrible realization followed.

"Amy!" He shouted in alarm.

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

Amy stared at Rory, who was bent over and clutching his hand desperately. He'd been crying desperately as he seemed to fight with himself, starting to make mechanical sounds as his body twitched, and Amy stared at him in further confusion.

He suddenly turned to her as he begged her: "Listen to me. You have to run. You have to get as far away from here as you can. I'm a thing! I'll kill you. Just go!" He shouted and Amy took a surprised step back.

But somehow she couldn't turn away from this man as he moaned: "Please, no, I don't want to go."

He began to shake and his breathing heaved as he fought an internal battle, saying between grit teeth: "I'm Rory! I'm, I'm…"

And suddenly, Amy remembered.

"Williams." She whispered.

He turned to her in surprise, but still bent over as he tried to fight the Auton inside. Amy continued as she moved towards him slowly: "Rory Williams from Leadworth. My boyfriend."

Amy bent down and tears fell once more as she stared him in the eyes and wondered: "How could I ever forget you?"

"Amy, you've got to run." Rory begged her. "I can't hold on. I'm going."

He jerked, and Amy gripped his shoulders as she told him firmly, although her voice cracked: "You are Rory Williams and you aren't going anywhere ever again."

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

"Plastic Romans." The Doctor murmured in wonder as he stared at his captors.

They had a death grip on him and were dragging him through the chamber as he continued: "Duplicates, driven by the Nestene Consciousness, eh? Deep cover, but what for?"

He glanced at them.

"What are you doing? What's in there, eh?" He asked as he jerked his head to look back at the Pandorica, before he asked in a questioning whisper: "What's coming out?"

* * *

River P.O.V.

River had given up shouting for the Doctor's help, and after gently placing Lily on the console steps she leapt around trying to get the doors open. She hooked the Tardis engine wires to the main door handles determinedly even as the console sparked and shuddered, getting ready to explode.

Lily wailed suddenly: "Why? Who?"

Lily paused before she lifted her head to ask tearfully: "Doctor?"

River glanced at her and sighed.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor was dragged to the chamber doors and he was brought to a stop with his back to the Pandorica.

"The Pandorica is ready." One of the Romans holding the Doctor said in an emotionless voice.

As more Romans walked through the doors and into the chamber, the Doctor asked confusedly: "What, do you mean it's open?"

"You have been scanned," a deathly familiar voice called, "assessed," the Doctor turned his head slowly to look back over his shoulder, "understood, Doctor." The White Dalek cried as it rolled forwards into the room.

Behind it, the Red and Yellow Daleks appeared, having beamed into the chamber as well.

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

"The ring." Amy murmured to Rory, her voice thick with tears.

"Remember the ring? You'd never let me wear it in case I lost it." She teased even as she fought sobs, and Rory breathed heavily as he admitted: "The Doctor gave it to me."

"Show it to me." Amy demanded, trying to keep him focused and in the present, trying to keep him human. "Show me the ring."

"Amy." Rory sobbed out, and Amy begged as another tear slid down her cheek: "Come on. Just show it to me."

Rory shakily did as she asked, pulling out the red velvet box. His whole body was trembling, desperately trying to maintain control as he opened the box and showed Amy the engagement ring nestled inside.

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Romans whirled the Doctor around so that he was facing the Daleks and the Pandorica, and he demanded nervously as he stared at the White Dalek: "Scanned? Scanned by what, a box?"

"Your limits and capacities have been extrapolated." Another familiar voice said, and the Doctor glanced over to see the Cybermen appear on the other side of the chamber.

They were followed by Judoon and Sontarans. Stark appeared next and he declared as he beamed in: "The Pandorica is ready."

"Ready for what?" The Doctor asked slowly, and the White Dalek replied: "Ready for you."

The Doctor's eyes widened as he stared at the Pandorica. The white light had faded to reveal the empty prison inside and the binding clamps slid open and waiting. All the pieces of the puzzle clicked at last and the Doctor struggled violently against the Roman Autons as they began to drag him towards the Pandorica.

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

Amy whispered as she touched Rory's face lovingly: "There it is. You remember."

Rory was sweating bullets as he tried to stay in control and Amy murmured softly as she gazed into his eyes: "This is you, and you are staying."

But Rory's hand unhinged and his gun activated.

"No." He pleaded, but it was no use.

Amy gasped as Rory shot her right in the stomach. She trembled and then reached in to wrap her arms around him in her final moments as Rory murmured: "No."

"No." He begged as Amy hugged him tightly, her eyes filled with tears as she clung to life.

"No!" Rory begged as Amy gasped and her eyes began to close, before her hands loosened and she fell back.

Rory gripped her desperately as her head lolled and the life left her. "NO!"

* * *

Doctor P.O.V.

The Doctor struggled violently but it was no use as he was thrust into the Pandorica and strapped in. He stared out at all his enemies gathered together in unity before the prison and he said in a mix of horror and awe: "You lot, working together. An alliance. How is that possible?"

"The cracks in the skin of the universe." The White Dalek replied.

Stark added as the Doctor looked at each of them as they spoke: "All reality is threatened."

"All universes will be deleted." The Cyberleader finished.

The Doctor asked in confusion: "What? And you've come to me for help?"

"No." Stark retorted. "We will save the universe from you!"

"From me?" The Doctor asked in confusion and the Cyberleader explained: "All projections correlate. All evidence concurs. The Doctor will destroy the universe."

"No, no, no." The Doctor protested. "You've got it wrong."

But the Cyberleader went on: "The Pandorica was constructed to ensure the safety of the Alliance."

The Doctor's eyes widened as the White Dalek explained: "A scenario was devised from the memories of your companion."

"A trap the Doctor could not resist." Stark added, and he frowned, while the White Dalek finished: "The cracks in time are the work of the Doctor. It is confirmed."

"No. no, no, not me, the Tardis." The Doctor argued as he pointed out: "And I'm not in the Tardis, am I?"

"Only the Doctor can pilot the Tardis." The White Dalek retorted, and the Doctor cried in exasperation and fear: "Please, listen to me!"

The White Dalek ignored him as it said: "You will be prevented."

"Total event collapse!" The Doctor begged desperately, his voice breaking.

"Every sun will supernova at every moment in history. The whole universe will never have existed. Please, listen to me!" He cried, but the Cyberleader ordered: "Seal the Pandorica."

"No!" The Doctor shouted as the Pandorica began to close.

"Please, listen to me! The Tardis is exploding right now and I'm the only one who can stop it! Listen to me!" He shouted as the Pandorica slammed shut.

* * *

River P.O.V.

River flung open the Tardis doors only to find the doors completely blocked by a stone wall. She turned back to the Tardis console where Lily was standing, white-faced.

"I'm so sorry." River whispered and the Tardis exploded, sending the universe into darkness.


	37. 13-1 The Big Bang

The doors to the Pandorica opened and the Doctor stared to see Rory standing there and pointing the sonic screwdriver at the doors. Except, the Doctor was pretty sure the screwdriver was safely in his jacket pocket. The clamps released him and he asked Rory blankly: "How did you do that?"

Rory held up the sonic and he said just as blankly: "You gave me this."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic, making sure and he showed it to Rory as he said still confused: "No, I didn't."

"You did. Look at it." Rory pointed out flatly as he held up the sonic and the Doctor got up slowly. He walked over carefully and then touched his sonic against the one Rory was holding.

The two sparked and he realized: "Temporal energy. Same screwdriver at different points in its own time stream. Which means it was me who gave it to you. Me from the future. I've got a future. That's nice."

He grinned and then noticed something behind Rory.

"That's not." He added flatly as he pointed his screwdriver at the fossilized Daleks. Rory murmured: "Yeah. What are they?"

"History has collapsed." The Doctor explained.

He wandered around the chamber now filled with the remains of his enemies as he continued: "Whole races have been deleted from existence. These are just like after-images. Echoes. Fossils in time. The footprints of the never-were." He murmured.

"Er, what does that mean?" Rory asked and the Doctor turned to him as he said flatly: "Total event collapse. The universe literally never happened."

"So, how can we be here?" Rory asked confusedly. "What's keeping us safe?"

"Nothing." The Doctor replied shortly as he glanced around. "Eye of the storm, that's all. We're just the last light to go out." He paused as he realized Rory was alone.

"Amy. Where's Amy?" He asked as he turned to the other man.

* * *

The Doctor pulled back the blanket that covered Amy's body, revealing the girl's dead face as Rory admitted shakily: "I killed her."

The Doctor glanced at him and he sighed: "Oh, Rory."

"Doctor, what am I?" Rory asked shakily, fighting sobs and the Doctor explained: "You're a Nestene duplicate. A lump of plastic with delusions of humanity."

The Doctor began to sonic Amy as Rory protested confused and desperate: "But I'm Rory now. Whatever was happening, it's stopped. I'm Rory."

"That's software talking." The Doctor replied without looking at him as he checked the readings on his sonic.

Rory paused and then he asked quietly: "Can you help her? Is there anything you can do?"

"Yeah, probably, if I had the time." The Doctor replied lightly, and Rory snapped: "The time?"

"All of creation has just been wiped from the sky." The Doctor said coldly.

"Do you know how many lives now never happened? All the people who never lived? Your girlfriend isn't more important than the whole universe." He added tauntingly.

Rory pulled the Doctor around to face him, before punching him hard in the face.

"She is to me!" Rory yelled furiously, and the Doctor grinned.

He laughed happily as he said cheerily: "Welcome back, Rory Williams!"

He rubbed his aching jaw as he turned to face Rory and added: "Sorry. Had to be sure. Hell of a gun-arm you're packing there."

He tapped Rory's right arm as he walked past the dumbfounded man. The Doctor went on: "Right, we need to get her downstairs. And take that look off your plastic face."

Rory turned to the Doctor as the man bent by Amy and added: "You're getting married in the morning."

Together, the pair carried Amy down into the Pandorica and as the Doctor placed Amy into the chair, Rory asked slowly: "So you've got a plan, then?"

"Bit of a plan, yeah." The Doctor answered. "Memories are more powerful than you think, and Amy Pond is not an ordinary girl."

He grabbed said girl's face, checking her carefully as he explained to Rory: "Grew up with a time crack in her wall. The universe pouring through her dreams every night. The Nestenes took a memory print of her and got a bit more than they bargained for, like you. Not just your face, but your heart and your soul."

Rory bowed his head, while the Doctor pressed his forehead to Amy's, connecting their minds. He murmured in explanation, knowing Rory would ask: "I'm leaving her a message for when she wakes up, so she knows what's happening."

The Doctor then stepped back and shut the Pandorica, sealing Amy inside.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Rory protested. "What are you doing?"

"I'm saving her." The Doctor replied as though it was obvious.

He nodded at the Pandorica as he explained: "This box is the ultimate prison. You can't even escape by dying. It forces you to stay alive."

"But she's already dead." Rory pointed out, and the Doctor corrected: "Well, she's mostly dead. The Pandorica can stasis-lock her that way. Now, all it needs is a scan of her living DNA and it'll restore her."

"Where's it going to get that?" Rory demanded and the Doctor checked his watch before he answered: "In about two thousand years."

He then wandered over to look for River's bag from where she'd left it earlier while Rory stood in complete shock. He'd just found it and pulled out her vortex manipulator when Rory demanded incredulously: "She's going to be in that box for two thousand years?"

"Yeah." The Doctor replied as he strapped the manipulator to his wrist. "But we're taking a shortcut."

He turned back to Rory as he explained: "River's vortex manipulator. Rubbish way to time travel, but the universe is tiny now. We'll be fine."

"So hang on." Rory interrupted, trying to work out what was happening. "The future's still there, then. Our world."

"A version of it." The Doctor corrected. "Not quite the one you know. Earth alone in the sky. Let's go and have a look."

He held out his arm to Rory and he instructed: "You put your hand there."

Rory glanced at it, and his face became apprehensive. The Doctor saw and he encouraged: "Don't worry. Should be safe."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Rory corrected as he turned back to the Pandorica and the Doctor said comfortingly: "She'll be fine. Nothing can get into this box."

He patted it but Rory was far from convinced as he pointed out: "Well, you got in there."

"Well, there's only one of me. I counted." The Doctor replied lightly, but Rory continued to stare at the Pandorica before he said grimly: "This box needs a guard. I killed the last one."

The Doctor sighed and turned away as he said flatly: "No. Rory, no. Don't even think about it."

"She'll be all alone." Rory protested calmly and the Doctor pointed out: "She won't feel it."

"You bet she won't." Rory retorted and the Doctor walked up to him, saying very seriously: "Two thousand years, Rory. You won't even sleep. you'd be conscious every second. It would drive you… mad." He finished softly, kindly.

Rory didn't look away from the Pandorica as he asked calmly: "Will she be safer if I stay?"

The Doctor didn't reply and Rory turned to him as he demanded: "Look me in the eye and tell me she wouldn't be safer."

The Doctor sighed and began: "Rory, you-"

"Answer me!" Rory snapped and the Doctor looked him dead in the eye, before he finally admitted quietly: "Yes. Obviously."

He sighed and Rory turned back to the Pandorica, asking firmly: "Then how could I leave her?"

"Rory-" The Doctor began, but Rory interjected: "If that was Lily in there, what would you do?"

The Doctor fell silent once more and Rory demanded, not looking away from the Pandorica: "Well?"

The Doctor sighed again as he murmured softly: "I'd stay. Obviously."

"There we are then. I'm not moving." Rory said firmly and the Doctor smiled wryly.

"Why do you have to be so… human?" The Doctor asked with a sigh and Rory looked at him.

"Because right now, I'm not." He replied flatly.

Rory turned away, getting ready to stand guard and the Doctor began to type into the vortex manipulator as he said to Rory firmly: "Listen to me. This is the last bit of advice you're going to get in a very long time. You're living plastic, but you're not immortal. I have no idea how long you'll last. And you're not indestructible."

He finished pressing in the coordinates and he looked at Rory as he advised: "Stay away from heat and radio signals when they come along. You can't heal, or repair yourself. Any damage is permanent. So, for God's sake, however bored you get, stay out of-"

He disappeared and Rory bowed his head, before settling down for the longest guard duty in the history of time.

* * *

Amy P.O.V.

Amy fell out of the Pandorica, gasping and child Amelia asked her carefully: "Are you all right? Who are you?"

"I'm fine." Amy replied lightly, not really processing her surroundings as she finally breathed again. "I'm supposed to rest. Got to rest, the Doctor says."

"What doctor?" Amelia asked confused and Amy just tapped her head.

She explained as she got her breath back: "He's in here. Left a message in my head like I'm an answerphone. Where am I?" She added as she looked around.

She paused as she recognized the place and she asked: "Hang on. National Museum, right? I was here once when I was a little-"

Amy broke off as she turned back to the little girl standing before her and she realized who she was staring at.

"Yeah, complicated." She muttered and then she stood up and asked as she checked little Amelia's height and appearance: "Let's see, it's what, 1996?"

She stumbled off to the side and Amelia asked her, puzzled: "Who are you?"

"It's a long story." Amelia replied evasively.

She paused before a display board.

"Oh. A very long story." She murmured as she stared at the board entitled: 'The Pandorica Seen Through Time'. It showed the entire timeline of the Pandorica starting from 118AD all the way up to the present.

Amy slowly moved across towards an audio visual presentation of the timeline, and watched the screen as the voice was activated by her proximity: "According to legend, wherever the Pandorica was taken, throughout its long history, the Centurion would be there, guarding it."

She stepped close to the screen as she watched the images that coincided with the narration: "He appears as an iconic image in the artwork of many cultures, and there are several documented accounts of his appearances, and his warnings to the many who attempted to open the box before its time."

"His last recorded appearance was during the London blitz in 1941. The warehouse where the Pandorica was stored was destroyed by incendiary bombs, but the box itself was found the next morning, a safe distance from the blaze."

Tears welled in Amy's eyes as she stared at the painted image that showed a Roman Centurion pulling the Pandorica out of the flames as the narrator continued: "There are eyewitness accounts from the night of the fire of a figure in Roman dress, carrying the box from the flames. Since then, there have been no sightings of the Lone Centurion, and many have speculated that if he ever existed, he perished in the fires of that night, performing one last act of devotion to the box he had pledged to protect for nearly two thousand years."

A tear trickled down Amy's cheek as she murmured brokenly: "Rory. Oh, Rory."

"Exterminate!" A familiar voice called suddenly and Amy jumped. She ran back to Amelia as the little girl asked in alarm: "What's that?"

"Exterminate!" The Dalek called as it rolled towards them. It still looked fossilized but its eyestalk was glowing and Amy would bet that it wouldn't be long before it had enough power to fire at them.

Amy jumped as the Doctor appeared out of thin air and said: "Trouble."

He stared at the approaching Dalek and muttered: "Oh."

He then turned to the girls and mumbled: "Ah, two of you. Complicated."

Amy raised her brows, her expression saying: 'Ya think?'

"Exterminate!" The Dalek called, and the Doctor quickly turned back to it as he backed towards the girls. The Dalek waved its gun, saying: "Weapons systems restoring."

Taking the opportunity, the Doctor grabbed the two girls and pulled them each by the hand as he called: "Come along, Ponds."

"Exterminate!" The Dalek called after them.

The Doctor paused by an exhibit that featured a scene from the Middle-East and Amy demanded: "What are we doing? And where's Lily? How come I forgot her?"

"Well," the Doctor answered as he grabbed a fez from one of the dummies, "we are running into a dead end, where I'll have a brilliant plan, that basically involves not being in one. As for Lily, I'm working on it, and I'd say it's probably because whatever took control of the Tardis didn't want me to know she'd disappeared."

"What's going on?" A man's voice called and the Doctor peered out to see what was most likely the museum guard flashing his flashlight down towards their exhibit, although the man's face was hidden in the shadows.

The Doctor yelled at him as he and the girls hid behind the Pandorica: "Get out of here. Go! Just run!"

The man seemed undecided as the Dalek turned to him and ordered: "Drop the device!"

"It's not a weapon." The Doctor yelled quickly. "Scan it. It's not a weapon, and you don't have the power to waste."

He pointed and the Dalek acknowledged: "Scans indicate intruder unarmed."

"Do you think?" The security guard asked, before he dropped the flashlight. His hand unhinged and he shot the Dalek right in the eyestalk with his Auton gun. The Dalek began to swing its head as it cried: "Vision impaired! Vision-"

It trailed off as it stopped moving altogether while the security guard walked out into the moonlight.

"Amy!" Rory called as the three appeared around the side of the Pandorica.

The Doctor quickly moved to sonic the Dalek while Amy paused and breathed: "Rory."

She ran over to him and they hugged tightly, so glad to be together again.

"I'm sorry." Rory whispered as they broke apart. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. It just happened."

"Oh, Shut up." Amy whispered before she kissed him happily.

The Doctor ran up and said impatiently: "Yeah, shut up, because we've got to go. Come on."

They ignored him as they gazed into each other's eyes and Rory said, his voice cracking: "I waited. Two thousand years I waited for you."

The Doctor muttered in frustration, but they continued to ignore him as Amy replied: "No, still shut up."

She kissed him again, this time deeply and the Doctor muttered: "And break."

When they didn't stop he added: "And breathe."

When they still didn't stop, he looked down at little Amelia as she walked up and he commented: "Well, somebody didn't get out much for two thousand years."

He turned away from the couple, feeling a small tug of despair as he thought of Lily, but he blinked as someone tugged his jacket sleeve. He glanced down at Amelia who asked him: "I'm thirsty. Can I get a drink?"

"Oh, it's all mouths today, isn't it." The Doctor grumbled as he stuck the fez on the girl's head. She grinned a little at that, and shoved the fez back at him while the Doctor paused as he stared at the Dalek.

"The light." He murmured darkly as he realized. "The light from the Pandorica, it must have hit the Dalek."

The Dalek twitched, powering up again and the Doctor quickly turned to the other three ordering sharply: "Out! Out! Out!"

* * *

As they ran into the museum reception, the Doctor asked Rory conversationally: "So, two thousand years. How did you do?"

He used his sonic to lock the door as Rory replied with a shrug: "Kept out of trouble."

"Oh." The Doctor replied as they turned away from the door.

He paused as he looked at the fez he was still holding, before he placed it on his head and asked Rory: "How?"

"Unsuccessfully." Rory replied as the Doctor grabbed a mop and ran back towards the door, intending to use it as a brace.

"The mop!" Rory cried and the Doctor paused, brandishing said item at the other man as Rory explained: "That's how you looked all those years ago when you gave me the sonic."

"Ah." The Doctor replied. He pressed his manipulator as he commented: "Well, no time to lose, then."

He clicked the last button and disappeared, landing before the heartbroken Rory as he blurted: "Rory! Listen, she's not dead. Well, she is dead, but it's not the end of the world…"

When he reached the part where he remembered the mop, he quickly went back to the museum.

"Oops, sorry." He muttered as he shoved the mop through the door handles to brace the door shut.

The Doctor disappeared again to give Rory in the past his sonic, before he zapped back to land in the museum, saying firmly: "Right, let's go then."

He led them up the stairs when he suddenly called: "Wait!"

They all paused as the Doctor mumbled thoughtfully: "Now I don't have the sonic. I just gave it Rory two thousand years ago."

He quickly clicked the manipulator, going back to the past to tell Rory where to leave the sonic.

He reappeared before the others in the museum again, and said cheerily: "Right then."

He walked down to fetch his screwdriver from Amy's top pocket, and turned back up the stairs as he said: "Off we go! No," they all paused again, "hang on."

The Doctor turned to Amelia as he asked curiously: "How did you know to come here?"

He leaned down to Amelia's eye level and the girl simply pulled out the leaflet and the post-it note that she had found on the Pandorica. He grabbed them both and examined them.

"Ah, my handwriting." The Doctor murmured and then he tossed them over his shoulder as he muttered: "Okay."

He ran down the stairs again to grab leaflet and a post-it from the information desk in the reception area. He quickly scribbled the messages and then disappeared once more to deliver them.

He finally reappeared before the group once more, holding a soda drink, which he handed to Amelia as he said: "There you go. Drink up."

Amelia looked at it in surprise to see it was hers from earlier. She simply drank it as Amy demanded: "What is that? How are you doing that?"

"Vortex manipulator." The Doctor replied cheerily.

"Cheap and nasty time travel. Very bad for you. I'm trying to give it up." He added seriously and Amy smirked before she asked: "Where are we going?"

"The roof." They turned back to move up when suddenly another Doctor appeared at the top of the stairs.


	38. 13-2 Remember

The new Doctor was missing the fez and he looked terrible, his clothes smoking a little as he stared at them momentarily before falling down the stairs. Amy and Rory flinched as this Doctor came crashing down before landing right at their feet.

The present Doctor quickly scanned him as Rory said numbly: "Doctor, it's you. How can it be you?"

"Doctor, is that you?" Amy asked in fear as the Doctor checked the man, and the Doctor answered quietly: "Yeah, it's me. Me from the future."

The Future Doctor suddenly opened his eyes and leaned up to grab his past self, whispering something in his ear urgently before he fell back down again. Dead. Amy and Rory exchanged looks and Amy asked slowly: "Are you? I mean, is he, is he dead?"

"What?" The Doctor asked, sounding dazed as he stood up.

He then muttered hastily: "Dead? Yes, yes. Of course he's dead. Right, I've got twelve minutes. That's good."

He ran off and Amy asked after him: "Twelve minutes to live?"

He turned to her in surprise as she snapped: "How is that good?"

"Oh, you can do loads in twelve minutes." The Doctor replied with a shrug. "Suck a mint, buy a sledge, have a fast bath. Come on, the roof."

He made to run off again when Rory protested: "We can't leave you here dead."

"Oh, good. Are you in charge now?" The Doctor asked scornfully as he turned back to them.

"Lily would kill me if I left you here dead." Rory retorted sharply.

The Doctor just leveled a look at him as he demanded darkly: "Oh? Is that so? So tell me then, what are we going to do about Amelia?"

The pair looked back to see Amelia gone, the soda cup lying on the ground.

"Where did she go?" Amy asked as she and Rory hurried down the stairs, looking around wildly for the little girl.

"Amelia?" Rory called.

"There is no Amelia." The Doctor told them and they turned to him as he walked down the steps towards them again, saying warningly: "From now on, there never was. History is still collapsing."

"But how can I still be here if she's not?" Amy asked confusedly, and the Doctor replied: "You're an anomaly. We all are. We're all just hanging on at the eye of the storm. But the eye is closing, and if we don't do something fast, reality will never have happened."

He looked at Rory as he said sharply: "So, Lily killing you because you leave me _after_ I'm already dead, or Amy never existing. Which is it?"

Rory hung his head and the Doctor shouted as he ran back up the stairs: "Today, just dying is a result. Now, come on!"

He ran off, but the other two hesitated by the dead Doctor.

"He won't die." Amy said firmly while Rory covered the dead Doctor with his jacket.

Amy continued shakily: "Time can be rewritten. He'll find a way. I know he will."

"Move it! Come on!" The Doctor shouted and the pair ran off, Rory sending one last sad look back at the Doctor's body on the steps.

* * *

As the three heaved themselves up onto the roof through the hatch, Amy asked as she glanced around puzzled: "What, it's morning already? How did that happen?"

"History is shrinking." The Doctor replied as he walked across the roof to look at the sun. "Is anybody listening to me?"

Amy and Rory hurried to look up at the sun, while the Doctor walked over to a satellite dish: "The universe is collapsing. We don't have much time left."

He began to sonic the dish and Rory asked puzzled: "What are you doing?"

"Looking for the Tardis." The Doctor replied lightly, and Rory pointed out: "But the Tardis exploded."

"Okay then, I'm looking for an exploding Tardis." The Doctor corrected as he snapped off the dish and pulled it with him as he walked to the edge of the roof, towards the sun.

"I don't understand." Amy cried. "So, the Tardis blew up and took the universe with it. But why would it do that? How?"

Rory held her as they stood in the center of the roof, both puzzled while the Doctor replied: "Good question for another day."

"The question for now is," the Doctor turned to look at them, "total event collapse means that every star in the universe never happened. Not one single one of them ever shone. So, if all the stars that ever were are gone, then what," he turned back to the sun, "is that?"

He pointed at it and both Rory and Amy paused, staring at the burning ball high in the sky.

"Like I said, I'm looking for an exploding Tardis." The Doctor murmured, and Rory protested: "But that's the sun."

"Is it?" The Doctor challenged. "Well, here's the noise that sun is making right now."

He pointed the satellite dish at the burning mass and soniced the dish. Amy and Rory blanched as they heard the familiar wheezing sound.

"That's my Tardis burning up." The Doctor murmured. "That's what's been keeping the Earth warm."

"Doctor, there's something else." Rory suddenly piped up.

He paused as he listened and he told them: "There's a voice."

The Doctor frowned as he also heard a vague voice echoing in the background.

"I can't hear anything." Amy protested but Rory replied as he pointed to his ear: "Trust the plastic."

The Doctor soniced the dish again, making the signal stronger and the voices louder. Amy paled as they could now they could all hear as Lily whispered: "Doctor?"

"I'm so sorry." River replied.

And then it repeated, Lily whispering for the Doctor in a panicked voice while River whispered sadly: "I'm so sorry."

"Doctor, that's Lily and River." Amy said slowly. "How can they be up there?"

The Doctor slowly lowered the satellite as his mind raced to understand what was happening while Rory suggested: "It must be like a recording or something."

"No, it's not a recording." The Doctor mumbled as he figured it out. "Of course, the emergency protocols. The Tardis has sealed off the control room and put them into a time loop to save them. They are right," he said with a sinking heart as he stared at the burning light, "at the heart of the explosion."

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

"Doctor?" Lily asked tearfully and River sighed.

A button exploded on the Tardis console and River leapt over, fighting with some pipes. She signaled and Lily shoved her emotions aside as she heaved a lever, turning it. River then ran for the doors, opening it to find herself staring at a rock wall. She turned slowly to where the Tardis console began to explode and saw the white-faced girl.

"I'm so sorry." River whispered.

"Doctor?" Lily asked tearfully and River sighed.

A button exploded on the Tardis console and River leapt over, fighting with some pipes. She signaled and Lily shoved her emotions aside as she heaved a lever, turning it. River then ran for the doors, opening it to find herself staring at a rock wall. She turned slowly to where the Tardis console began to explode and saw the white-faced girl.

"I'm so sorry." River whispered.

"Doctor?" Lily asked tearfully and River sighed.

A button exploded on the Tardis console and River leapt over, fighting with some pipes. She signaled and Lily shoved her emotions aside as she heaved a lever, turning it. River then ran for the doors, to find the Doctor leaning against the Tardis doors casually as he played with the vortex manipulator on his wrist.

"Hi, Lily, River. I'm home." He said casually.

River glanced uneasily at the girl whose face had whitened to an alarmingly pale shade. She tried to lighten the situation as she looked at her watch and demanded jokingly: "And what sort of time do you call this?"

* * *

The three teleported back to the rooftop, the Doctor holding one woman on each arm, and River cried happily: "Amy!"

The redhead in question and Rory turned around from where they'd been staring at the space where the Doctor had disappeared from, Amy's eyes lighting up as she saw Lily while River frowned in confusion.

"And the plastic Centurion?" She asked and the Doctor reassured her: "It's okay, he's on our side."

"Really?" River asked and the Doctor nodded: "Yeah."

Amy had walked forward, but she frowned as she took in Lily's face. The girl was ashen, looking completely shaken, and as the Doctor and River bantered, she suddenly let go of the Doctor's arm. He looked over in surprise and then alarm as the girl staggered before falling to her knees, pulling them in and clutching them desperately as she muttered quietly, shuddering continuously.

"Lily?" The Doctor called in concern, reaching for her. She flinched violently and he pulled back, his alarm increasing.

He glanced at River, suddenly angry as he snarled at the woman: "What did you do?"

River was looking at him pityingly and as Amy leaned down to hug her friend anxiously, the Doctor shouted furiously: "What did you do?!"

"I didn't do anything." River informed him and the Doctor snapped: "Oh, and I'm supposed to believe she just ended up like that on her own?"

Amy had leaned in and she frowned as she heard what the girl was muttering: "Krillitanes, Cybermen, Satan, Dalek, Racnoss, Judoon, Angels, Master…"

She stopped abruptly, her eyes suddenly clearing as a hand clutched her stomach.

"I really didn't do anything!" River was shouting, and the Doctor replied furiously: "Well then, how do you explain Lily-"

"I'm fine." Lily interjected and the Doctor turned while River's face fell sadly as the pair stared at the brunette girl. Lily was standing up determinedly, gently pushing Amy away and back towards Rory while the Doctor frowned.

"You are not fine, just minutes ago you were completely not fine." He insisted.

"I said, 'I'm fine', didn't I?" Lily just replied testily. She then turned to stare at the burning Tardis, ignoring the Doctor as he started to argue: "Lily-"

"Okay," Lily said firmly, "so the Tardis is exploding, the universe is in flux, and time is collapsing."

"Thank you, someone gets it." The Doctor muttered, although he still sounded worried, but Lily wasn't finished.

"I have questions, but number one is this. What on earth," she turned back to the Doctor as she asked with a frown, "is that thing you've got on your head?"

Amy nodded while Rory and River snorted, and the Doctor replied defensively: "It's a fez. I wear a fez now. Fezes are cool."

Lily looked at him in disbelief. She then slid her eyes over to River and the two exchanged looks, before glancing at Amy as well. Amy saw their look and grinned. She grabbed the Doctor's arm as Lily snatched the fez off the man's head.

"Oh!" The Doctor cried but Lily had already thrown the fez into the air where River shot it to pieces.

The three women grinned briefly in triumph, but it slid off their faces as a terrifyingly familiar voice cried: "Exterminate!"

Lily gaped in horror as a Dalek rose from below, its eyestalk appearing over the edge of the roof as it lifted higher into the air.

"Run, run! Move, move." The Doctor ordered, grabbing Lily and shoving her towards River. The blonde woman caught her as she stumbled a little from the force of the push while Amy and Rory ran ahead towards the stairwell.

"Go!" The Doctor ordered and Rory shouted: "Come on!"

They all ran, while the Doctor lifted the satellite dish, and used it as a shield against the Dalek's shots, blocking all blasts until he made it to the stairwell and slammed the roof shut.

River had let Lily go, the girl sliding numbly to the floor as she stared blankly ahead, shaken after seeing the Dalek again with new eyes. Her mind raced and images threatened to explode before her eyes, but it was as though something was blocking them. There were just flashes as it passed by and she clutched her head in pain.

Amy noticed and leaned over her friend worriedly as the girl began to mutter again: "Hand? Rude? Lonely? Regretful? Vengeful?"

Her voice faded out, and then back in and irregular intervals as she bowed her head into her knees while Amy held her worriedly.

Rory, River and the Doctor didn't notice, too preoccupied with the imminent Dalek assault. Rory stood behind River as River held her gun pointed at the roof hatch, the pair a little further down the stairwell.

River ordered the Doctor grimly: "Doctor, come on."

"Shush." The Doctor silenced her as he leaned his ear against the hatch, listening intently. "It's moving away, finding another way in."

He quickly moved down the stairs, joining River and Rory as he explained: "It needs to restore its power before it can attack again."

He dropped before them and announced: "Now, that means we've got exactly," he checked his watch, "four and a half minutes before it's at lethal capacity."

River and Rory frowned as the latter asked: "How do you know?"

"Because that's when it's due to kill me." The Doctor replied bluntly.

Amy glanced up, but she was too concerned over her human friend's well being at the moment as the girl's muttering began to fade out again. River asked incredulously: "Kill you? What do you mean, kill you?"

"Oh, shut up. Never mind." The Doctor sighed as he turned around. He saw Lily and Amy and his eyes widened.

"Lily!" He cried worriedly, leaning in and reaching for her.

She flinched again, shuddering away from his touch and the Doctor pulled his hand away, concerned and hurt.

"Doctor, what's wrong with her?" Amy pleaded, but he was just as lost.

"Doctor, listen to her." River ordered and he paused to glanced at her with a frown on his face.

"What?" He asked and River urged: "She starts to mutter after a while. Listen to what she's saying."

They all paused, listening as the girl's voice came back and she muttered again, almost hyperventilating. But now she'd turned questioning and the Doctor paled as the girl's voice became frantic as she babbled: " _'A Rose by any other name'_. Power of a name. YANA. Doctor? Doctor who?"

The Doctor turned to River with wide eyes and Amy was alarmed to hear he how broken he sounded as he asked: "What happened?"

"When the Tardis lost control…" River answered sadly. "I don't know, I guess the rifts severed some of the memory wipe but it was partial with the cracks still open. The information overflow fighting with the suppression was too much and…"

"And it's torturing her mind." The Doctor said slowly, horrified understanding dawning. "It's burning her. The memory recall triggered the metacrisis."

"What does that mean?" Amy asked desperately. "Will she be alright? Doctor?"

But as that word left her mouth, the brunette's head shot up. Lily's eyes focused on the green eyes before her and the Doctor's eyes widened even further as she looked at him with sudden clarity. But his hearts stopped, breaking a little when she opened her mouth and said the words he'd hoped to never hear from her.

"You're not him." She whispered shakily, and the Doctor's face fell.

River's eyes widened, while Amy and Rory exchanged confused glances. But Lily's gaze had slid out of focus again, darting around a little wildly as she struggled with the weight in her own mind.

"Doctor…" River began, but he suddenly returned to his normal self, standing abruptly as he said: "Right, off we go. Quickly now, move it."

He ushered them all, indicating to Amy that she should pull Lily up and take her with her. Amy did as he silently asked, but she was bewildered as to what was happening, and concerned about the state of her friend.

Rory was concerned too, and seeing Amy struggle to help the unresponsive brunette girl, he walked over and gently picked Lily up. He carried her on his back as she continued to alternate between staring blankly into nothing and then muttering incoherently.

As they moved quickly down the museum corridors, the Doctor muttered: "How can that Dalek even exist? It was erased from time and then it came back. How?"

The Doctor demanded, his mind not working right, too shocked still from the dual blow it had received- the worry and the hurt making it impossible for him to think.

Rory chimed in as he walked behind: "You said the light from the Pandorica-"

"It's not a light, it's a restoration field." The Doctor corrected absently.

"But never mind, call it a light. That light brought Amy back, restored her, but how could it bring back a Dalek when the Daleks have never existed?" He asked as he stopped walking.

He stared at Amy pensively, avoiding Lily, and so Rory as well, and Amy answered: "Okay, tell us."

He sighed a little and River said gently: "Doctor, you have to focus. It won't help Lily if you don't."

He clenched his fists but nodded. He began to walk again as he thought aloud: "When the Tardis blew up, it caused a total event collapse. A time explosion. And that explosion blasted every atom in every moment of the universe. Except-"

He realized and he turned to them. Amy finished slowly: "Except inside the Pandorica."

"The perfect prison." The Doctor murmured. "And inside it, perfectly preserved, a few billion atoms of the universe as it was. In theory, you could extrapolate the whole universe from a single one of them, like, like cloning a body from a single cell. And we've got the bumper family pack."

"No, no. Too fast. I'm not getting it." Rory interrupted.

The Doctor glanced at him and Rory regretted speaking when the Doctor saw Lily and his face fell again. But the Doctor tried to stay focused as he explained: "The box contains a memory of the universe, and the light transmits the memory, and that's how we're going to do it."

"Do what?" Amy demanded, and Lily lifted her head.

"Restore the universe." She murmured tiredly and they all turned to her in surprise. She looked stable once more, but very weak.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked her and Lily shrugged lightly, avoiding looking at the Doctor.

They all noticed and they stood for a moment awkwardly before the Doctor murmured: "Come on."

As he walked off, River followed, saying in exasperation: "Doctor, you're being completely ridiculous."

Amy and Rory quickly followed as River was continued: "The Pandorica partially restored one Dalek. If it can't even reboot a single life form properly, how's it reboot the whole of reality?"

Rory meanwhile murmured to Lily: "Seriously, Lily, are you okay?"

"I don't know." She murmured back sadly while she clutched his neck tightly. "My head is killing me."

Rory hesitated but Lily's head had suddenly snapped up as she heard the Doctor answer River's question: "What if we give it a moment of infinite power? What if we can transmit the light from the Pandorica to every particle of space and time simultaneously?"

"Well, that would be lovely, Fa…dear," River answered, "but we can't, because it's completely impossible."

The Doctor paused, frowning at her and wondering what she'd been about to say, but he moved on as he corrected her: "Ah no, you see, it's not. It's almost completely impossible. One spark is all we need."

"For what?" River demanded, and the Doctor grinned: "Big Bang Two."

"No." Lily said sharply and with such sudden clarity that the others turned to look at her in surprise.

The Doctor glanced at her warily and he began: "Lily-"

He broke off suddenly as he was shot in the back. Time seemed to speed up for Lily as the Doctor as he fell. His face was twisted in agony and River bent down quickly to help him as Lily screamed in an utterly heartbroken voice: "Doctor!"

"Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Dalek called as it rolled down the corridor towards them.

"Get back." Rory shouted as he ushered Amy around a corner with his shoulder while still carrying Lily. The brunette seemed too stunned to move as Rory dropped her quickly to the ground.

She sat there on her knees, staring numbly at the Doctor while Rory called sharply: "River, get back now!"

"Exterminate!" The Dalek called and Rory shot the Dalek, making it power down once more. He kept his gun pointed firmly at the Dalek just in case as Lily crawled over to the Doctor.

"Doctor?" River was saying urgently. She tapped his face, trying to keep him focused as Lily bent over him as well.

"What do you need?" River said urgently. "Doctor?"

"Doctor?" Lily asked in a small voice as she leaned over his head and he smiled a little at her. "Doctor, please."

"Lily." He breathed before he activated his vortex manipulator and disappeared.

"Doctor!" Lily screamed, the tears falling thickly.

River hugged the poor girl as Lily cried: "Doctor? Doctor!"

"Damn him, he could be anywhere." River muttered but Amy said quietly as she moved to hug her friend as well: "He went downstairs, twelve minutes ago."

Lily lifted her tearful face to the redhead, demanding: "Show me."

Amy looked at her sadly as she whispered: "Lily, he died."

Lily's heart stopped for a moment and a sob wrenched its way through her. But then her fist curled and she shook her head slowly.

"No, he didn't." Lily muttered and River glanced at her grimly.

Amy began: "Lily-"

"Systems restoring." They all turned to the Dalek quickly but Lily didn't move. "You will be exterminated."

"We've got to move." Rory said firmly, his gun still pointed at the Dalek. "That thing's coming back to life."

"You go to the Doctor. I'll be right with you." River said firmly.

Lily glanced at her and the two exchanged looks of understanding before Amy led Lily away. Rory followed quickly, guarding them as River stayed behind, facing the Dalek to exact revenge on her friend's part.

*A/N Sorry to everyone for the lack of Lily in the last chapter! It was kind of overwhelming (in a good way, in the end) how much you guys missed her! Hope this chapter makes up for it!


	39. 13-3 Goodbye again?

When the trio ran to the stairs, Amy and Rory paused in shock. Only Rory's jacket remained and the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. Lily didn't even pause as she made her way down the steps while Rory asked in disbelief: "How could he have moved? He was dead."

The pair dashed down the stairs after Lily as the girl walked as firmly as she could despite her pounding head and she clutched her stomach with her free hand.

"Doctor? Doctor!" Rory called. Lily winced and grabbed Rory, shaking her head. His shouting was making her headache worse.

"But he was dead." Amy said shakily and River asked from behind as she appeared: "Who told you that?"

"He did." Amy replied, and Lily murmured quietly from where she was standing: "Rule one. The Doctor lies."

River walked over to her quickly, helping her walk as they made their way to where they knew the Doctor would be.

"Where's the Dalek?" Amy asked confusedly.

"It died." River replied shortly, and she and Lily exchanged looks, before Lily nodded at the woman slowly.

"Thank you." She murmured, and River whispered back: "Anything for you, sweetie. Now, come on. Let's go find your boyfriend."

She helped Lily as they walked as quickly as the brunette could into the Anomaly Exhibition. Lily's heart sank as she saw the Pandorica and Amy cried in shock: "Doctor!"

Amy and Rory paused by the doors to the exhibition as River led Lily to the Doctor, who lay unconscious in the seat inside the Pandorica. Lily collapsed at his feet, fighting her pounding head as she gently touched his face. Rory asked confusedly: "Why did he tell us he was dead?"

"We were a diversion." Amy realized. "As long as the Dalek was chasing us, he could work down here."

Lily and River ignored them, River standing guard over the couple as Lily whispered: "Doctor."

She glanced around the Pandorica as she wondered aloud: "What was it you were doing?"

The rest all glanced around as suddenly the light from the Tardis outside grew brighter, throwing the whole room into a red hue.

"What's happening?" Rory asked anxiously and River replied as Lily examined the Pandorica: "Reality's collapsing. It's speeding up. Look at this room."

Amy and Rory looked around the exhibition room to find things were slowly disappearing from their display cases.

"Where'd everything go?" Amy asked shakily and River explained tightly: "History's being erased. Time's running out."

She turned to Lily as she urged: "Lily, we need to get a move on."

Lily pursed her lips and River began to shake the Doctor's shoulder as she asked: "What were you doing? Tell us. Doctor. Lily, help me." She begged and Lily took the Doctor's face in her hands.

"Doctor." She called and his eyes slowly opened.

He saw her face and he murmured slowly, painfully: "Big Bang Two."

His eyes closed again and Lily's face drained of what little colour it had left while Rory asked: "The Big Bang. That's the beginning of the universe, right?"

Amy chimed in as the pair stepped in closer: "What, and Big Bang Two is the bang that brings us back? Is that what you mean?"

"Oh." River breathed in realization while Lily closed her eyes against the tears.

"What?" Amy demanded anxiously.

River turned to them as she explained: "The Tardis is still burning. It's exploding at every point in history. If you threw the Pandorica into the explosion, right into the heart of the fire…"

She paused to glance at Lily. The girl was starting to shake, but Amy didn't notice as she asked River desperately: "Then what?"

River turned back to Amy as she said quietly: "Then let there be light. The light from the Pandorica would explode everywhere at once, just like he said."

"That would work?" Amy asked hopefully. "That would bring everything back?"

"A restoration field powered by an exploding Tardis, happening at every moment in history." River murmured, a little in awe. "Oh, that's brilliant. It might even work."

"It will work." Lily whispered brokenly as she pointed a shaking finger at the Doctor's wrist. River glanced at it and quickly pulled out the Doctor's sonic to check Lily was right.

She murmured, her theory confirmed: "He's wired the vortex manipulator to the rest of the box."

"Why?" Amy asked puzzled, and River hesitated.

"So he can take it with him." Lily answered, her voice cracking. "He's going to fly the Pandorica into the heart of the explosion."

They all stared at the girl, who didn't take her eyes off the Doctor, before all staring at the Doctor's face. River's face set grimly and she set to work finishing what the Doctor had started while Lily got up and walked into a corner of the room, not meeting any of their eyes.

They let her go silently, knowing she would want to be alone for the moment. But unfortunately, sounds echoed in the museum and though Lily tried her hardest to be as quiet as she could, they could all hear her heartbroken sobs as it echoed down the corridor.

Rory glanced at Amy and asked tentatively: "Are you okay?"

"Are you?" Amy shot back and he admitted: "No."

"Well, shut up then!" Amy snapped harshly.

Rory glanced at her again, before gently pulled her into a hug. Amy buried her face into his chest, and he whispered soothingly: "It's alright. I'm here."

"But who'll be there for Lily?" Amy whispered, and Rory had no answer. "She can't even follow him – the Pandorica will only take one prisoner."

River walked up and murmured: "Amy, he wants to talk to you."

Amy lifted her head tearfully, but she was confused as she asked: "Me?"

River nodded and said softly: "He wants to speak with Lily last."

Amy nodded, then paused. She asked quietly: "So, what happens here? Big Bang Two? What happens to us?"

"We all wake up where we ought to be." River answered faintly. "None of this ever happens and we don't remember it."

Amy stared at the woman and whispered: "River, tell me he comes back, too."

"The Doctor will be the heart of the explosion." River explained, and Amy asked: "So?"

"So," River explained softly, "all the cracks in time will close, but he'll be on the wrong side, trapped in the never-space, the void between the worlds. All memory of him will be purged from the universe. He will never have been born."

"So Lily forgets him again? Does she know this?" Rory demanded and River sighed before she nodded.

"It's why she's so broken up over it." River said quietly. "She finally remembered him again, although I doubt it's back entirely just yet judging from her headaches, but she'll lose all of that. She'll lose him again."

"How could he do this?" Amy whispered, and River just shook her head.

They stood silently for a moment and River said quietly: "Now, please. He wants to talk to you before he goes."

Amy walked over slowly to say goodbye to the Doctor, while River took a deep breath and went to fetch the brunette girl. She was in the lobby, staring blankly into space again, her tears having run out.

"Lily." River called softly and the brunette tensed, turning to face her slowly. Her eyes were red and she was shaking terribly. River sat beside her gently and wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders.

"He wants to see you." She murmured softly. Lily trembled and River hugged her tight.

Lily didn't move for a moment, and River murmured quietly: "He doesn't have much time."

The brunette girl shuddered before she nodded. River helped her up and the pair walked slowly back towards the Pandorica. As they reached the exhibition room, Lily hesitated, her heart twisting painfully as Amy stepped back out of the Pandorica.

The Doctor glanced around the redhead and his gaze softened as he saw Lily standing there. She sobbed and stumbled over to him while the others left the room to give them some privacy, standing guard by the doors.

"Hello, love." The Doctor murmured as Lily knelt down in front of him. She just stared at him, her eyes filling with tears again. He grinned softly and murmured: "Wish I could touch your face. Just once more."

She gave a watery laugh, glancing at his hands wired into the Pandorica, before she stared into those familiar and yet now unfamiliar green eyes. She lifted her hands to touch his face instead, her fingers trailing along his cheek as she mused quietly: "You're so different now. And yet, so much the same."

He chuckled a little at that, although it faded as she said with a choked sob: "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. In the midst of all those memories and the screaming in my head, I, I…"

Her voice broke and his face softened. He shook his head as he leaned his forehead against hers and murmured: "It wasn't your fault. I'm just glad you made it out sane, and more or less all right. Hopefully that will hold for when…"

He trailed off as Lily bit her lip, fighting back tears. The Doctor hesitated, before he changed subjects, saying softly: "Lily, I've wanted to say since we met again: I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I left you back then. That I…I…"

"I was going to kill you myself, for doing that to me. Didn't think you'd do it for me." Lily tried to joke but her voice caught and she bowed her head.

He smiled at her sadly and he murmured: "Lilian Tyler."

He sighed as he pressed his head against hers, murmuring: "I'm sorry I keep hurting you. I always seem to make you cry."

Her tears started slipping down her cheeks but she tried to stay strong as she promised: "I'd rather this than never having met you. And I can say that confidently as someone whose memory you tried to wipe once."

She tried to joke again but couldn't and ruined it by sobbing once at the end. The Doctor pressed his cheek against hers and murmured: "My Lily. My beautiful, brilliant Lily."

She sobbed as he paused before he asked in a low voice: "Can you be brave and let this old man get at least one last regret off his shoulders?"

Lily nodded, murmuring through suppressed tears: "Anything."

"If I'd asked you to marry me, would you have said yes?" He asked with a small smile.

Lily choked on a sob, a tear falling as she answered softly: "Yes. I'll always love you, Doctor. Always, always… my answer would never change."

He smiled sadly as her tears began to fall faster, and she buried her face into his chest.

"Don't leave. Don't let me forget you again." Lily whispered.

She hadn't wanted to say the words, because she knew it would only cause the Doctor pain, but she couldn't help herself. Her heart, still hurting from remembering the first time he'd erased her memories, felt like it was being shredded into pieces bit by bit as she clung to the Doctor's chest.

His face fell and he buried his face into her hair as a tear of his own leaked out.

"I'm so sorry, love." He murmured sadly. "But at the very least, it means your headache will go away again. That's something, isn't it?"

Her answer was to start to cry again into his chest, and the Doctor nudged her gently as he said softly: "Lily, please look at me. There's something important I have to say."

She lifted her head, looking at him directly as they pressed their foreheads together once more. His green eyes bore into her hazel ones as he whispered: "I'm going to tell you something that you can't ever repeat, but I want you to know."

She nodded and he bent his head so that his mouth was right against her ear. She frowned as he pulled back slowly to press his forehead against hers once more.

"What was that?" She murmured softly and he replied just as quietly: "That was my name."

Lily's eyes widened in shock and his lips curved into a gentle smile as he murmured: "What can never be spoken, and which I could never tell anyone, except the most important person in my life: my wife."

Lily chuckled a little, though it was very watery, as she said: "We're not actually married."

"Your answer is good enough for me." He answered seriously, and Lily peered back at him sadly.

She murmured as she stared into his eyes: "I won't remember it. I'll forget that, too."

He gave her a small sad smile and answered gently: "Nothing is ever forgotten. Not really. You're proof of that already."

The Pandorica began to shake and River cried as the three stepped back into the room: "Doctor! Lily! It's speeding up!"

"I can't leave you." Lily whispered.

The tears were sliding down both of their faces as the shaking began to worsen, and the Doctor murmured gently: "You have to go, love."

"Lily, you need to get out of there." River called sharply.

"I'm sorry. So sorry." The Doctor whispered, and Lily leaned in to kiss him desperately.

He kissed her back just as urgently as the Pandorica began to clamp down on him, locking him in. He pulled back and they locked eyes as Lily took a small step back, out of the prison.

"I love you." She whispered as the doors began to close and the Doctor just smiled at her sadly.

"As I love you. Always." He promised, and the doors closed on him.

Lily sobbed as he disappeared from her view forever, and River hugged her as Rory and Amy held each other, and the Pandorica flew out of the museum and straight into the heart of the exploding Tardis.

* * *

Lily woke up in Amy's spare bedroom, looking around in confusion as she heard Amy say excitedly from just outside: "You're my tiny little dad!"

"Amelia, why are you behaving as if you've never seen us before?" Amy's mother, Tabetha asked confusedly.

Lily blinked slowly, as Amy replied sounding puzzled: "I don't know. It's just…"

She trailed off and Lily slowly looked around the room. It was the same as it had always been, but something felt odd. Lily opened the door just a crack to see the breakfast tray Tabetha always prepared sitting by the door. It was toast, eggs, and bacon, with a glass of orange juice and a pot of tea. Tabetha made great tea… didn't she? Lily felt bewildered and uncertain.

 _'It must just be the wedding nerves.'_ She decided. ' _Right, that's it. Wedding nerves… even though it's not me getting married. I was going to get married. Was I?'_

Lily blinked, confused. Why did she think she was going to get married? She didn't even have a boyfriend, and never had since she'd graduated high school. Rose was the one who'd had a boyfriend, Mickey. Except, they'd broken up before they all went missing… hadn't they?

As Lily frowned though, it was like the thought slipped away, out of reach. Almost like a dream that you tried to hang on to in the morning but it managed to escape you. She blinked as the door was thrown open and Amy bounded in excitedly.

"Hey, sleepy." She teased and Lily grinned.

"Hey, you." Lily laughed and as Amy bounced onto the bed happily Lily asked brightly: "So, how are you feeling? Big day and all."

Amy laughed as she replied happily: "Like I could kiss the world. Well, mostly."

She paused thoughtfully and then asked randomly: "Do you feel like you've forgotten something really important? I asked Rory, but he only said yes because he was scared of me."

Lily laughed, shaking her head amusedly. ' _Of course.'_ She thought bemusedly before she became pensive.

"I don't know." Lily admitted to Amy slowly.

She sat beside the redhead on the bed as she admitted: "Ever since I woke up, I feel like there's something missing… a really big something. But I can't remember what it is… and whenever I try it sort of slips away. I haven't felt this weird since I found myself back at home, alone, two years ago."

Noticing Amy's pensive look, Lily asked slowly: "Is that how you've been feeling?"

Amy nodded as she said slowly: "Yeah. It's… I don't know. Like there's a great big thing in my head, and I feel like I should remember it, but I can't…"

Lily pursed her lips, but they were interrupted as Tabetha called: "Come on, you two. You need to start getting ready, you especially, Amelia."

Lily laughed as Amy pulled a face, but then her face became dreamy as she probably thought of Rory again.

"Yes, _Amelia_ ," Lily teased, "we should get you ready. You're going to need _lots_ of time if you want to knock Rory off his feet."

"Shut up." Amy muttered but she smiled happily as the pair bounded out to Amy's room, forgetting their conversation for the moment as they got ready for Amy and Rory's wedding excitedly.

* * *

Later, at the wedding reception, Lily beamed as Amy and Rory laughed at their table, now proudly man and wife. She was happy for them and was now enjoying the celebrations, particularly amused as Rory's best man- Jason - tried to flirt with her, and very badly at that.

She looked over as the master of ceremonies called: "Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, the father of the bride, Augustus Pond!"

Lily cheered as they all clapped and Augustus stood.

"Sorry, everyone." He said apologetically. "I'll be another two minutes. I'm just reviewing certain aspects."

The crowd groaned while Amy and Lily laughed, exchanging looks from their separate tables. But Lily broke off as she spotted a woman walking past the windows on the far side, a very familiar looking woman with bushy blonde hair. She blinked in surprise, and started as Amy stood up abruptly.

Lily blinked confusedly as Amy sat back down, and all of a sudden the party noises and the crowd seemed overwhelming to her. She shook her head, trying to clear it as Jason threw another lame joke at the table while glancing at her for a reaction.

But Lily ignored him as she stared at the man across from her who was wearing a bowtie. A familiar bowtie... A familiar red bowtie…

She was startled as Jason asked in alarm: "Lily, are you alright?"

She glanced at the man in surprise as she asked: "Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you're crying." He pointed out and Lily lifted a hand to her cheek, before staring at it surprise as it came back wet.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you with the joke, or something-" Jason began frantically as the rest of the table also looked at her concernedly.

Lily quickly brushed it off as she laughed: "No, no, it's just the belated emotions coming out. I'm just so happy for Amy and Rory that I couldn't help myself."

The table all nodded in understanding and began their chatter once more while Lily turned away and frowned.

' _What is wrong with me?'_ She wondered. She hadn't lied, she was happy for Amy and Rory, but that wasn't why she was crying. What had sparked it? ' _That woman…'_

Lily made to stand up to go after the stranger, without quite understanding why she suddenly felt it was so important she meet the woman, when Augustus suddenly stood up, chuckling: "Ready now. Sorry about that."

Lily sat down again slowly, but she tuned the man out as she suddenly felt very cold.

 _'What is it?'_ She thought frantically. ' _It started with… the bowtie…'_

She glanced at the thing again, but as she did something else caught her eye. She saw an elderly gentleman wearing suspenders under his suit jacket. Which was perfectly normal, elderly gentleman often wore braces…

' _Old. Something about old, and red bowties…'_

She started as Amy suddenly stood up, saying abruptly: "Shut up, Dad!"

"Amy?" Rory asked concernedly as Augustus blinked and asked perplexed: "Amelia?"

Lily was beginning to feel like hyperventilating, and her heart felt like it was being crushed, as Amy bit out: "Sorry, but shut up, please."

"There's someone missing." Amy murmured slowly as she clutched her head. "Someone important. Someone so, so important."

"Amy, what's wrong?" Rory asked quietly, but Amy ignored him as she said to the crowd: "Sorry. Sorry, everyone."

Augustus sat down while Lily looked up at Amy slowly.

"But when I was a kid," Amy began slowly, "I had an imaginary friend."

"Oh no, not this again." Tabetha groaned and almost everyone sighed in defeat, but Amy locked eyes with Lily, who nodded encouragingly as Amy continued: "The raggedy Doctor. My raggedy Doctor. But he wasn't imaginary, he was real."

"The psychiatrists we sent her to." Tabetha sighed while everyone groaned, but Lily's hands were clenched tight as she and Amy exchanged wide-eyed looks.

"I remember you." Amy declared. "I remember! I brought the others back, I can bring you home, too. Raggedy man, I remember you, and you are _late_ for my wedding!"

There was a pause, and then all the glasses began to rattle just slightly as the room shook just very gently. Lily's heart was racing as Amy called: "I found you. I found you in words, like you knew I would. That's why you told me the story: the brand new, ancient blue box."

Lily's heart leapt as a wind blew threw the whole venue and she could hear a faint wheezing sound that felt so very familiar. Amy continued admiringly: "Oh, clever. Very clever."

"Amy, what is it?" Rory asked and Amy reminded him, him and Lily: "The old wedding saying!"

Lily's eyes widened as Amy began to chant: "Something old. Something new."

Lily breathed with her as she turned to look to the center of the reception room: "Something borrowed. Something blue."

They watched as the blue police box appeared right in the middle of the room, wheezing as it materialized.

"It's the Doctor." Rory murmured as Lily's eyes filled with tears.

Rory demanded as Amy climbed over the table and ran to the Tardis: "How did we forget the Doctor? I was plastic. He was the stripper at my stag. Long story."

Amy knocked on the Tardis door and called excitedly: "Okay, Doctor. Did I surprise you this time?"

Lily stood up just as the door opened and the Doctor appeared in a top hat and tails, saying lightly: "Er, yeah. Completely astonished. Never expected that. How lucky I happened to be wearing this old thing."

He grinned as he stepped out and Rory also stood up, his face breaking into a delighted smile. The Doctor called to the crowd: "Hello, everyone. I'm Amy's imaginary friend. But I came anyway."

The crowd murmured as the Doctor grinned at them.

"You absolutely, definitely may kiss the bride." Amy murmured firmly, but the Doctor stopped her with a finger to her lips as he said just as firmly: "Amelia, from now on I shall be leaving the," he wiped his finger on Rory's suit as the other man walked over, "kissing duties to the brand new," he shook Rory's hand delightedly, "Mr. Pond."

Lily chuckled as Rory corrected: "No, I'm not Mr. Pond. That's not how it works."

"Yeah, it is." The Doctor retorted with raised brows.

They both glanced at Amy, and Rory conceded: "Yeah, it is."

"Besides," the Doctor went on as he addressed the room in general, "I have my own fiancée to kiss."

He grinned at Lily and she smiled as she walked over as well. He opened his arms wide in delight as she walked up… and she punched him in the jaw.

Amy laughed while Rory gaped and the Doctor reeled back.

"Ow." He muttered as he massaged his jaw. "Okay, I admit I did deserve that."

"Yes, you did." Lily told him flatly, her smile gone. "And you're lucky I only hit you once when you pulled that stunt on me, _twice_. _And_ you let me think Rose, and Aunt Jackie, and Mickey were dead!"

She gave him a deadly glare, and he gave her a small, sheepish smile in return as he tried: "Nice right hook."

"Shut up." She grinned before pulling him in for a deep kiss.

Amy crowed and cheered, pulling Rory into a triumphant dance while the crowd stared, stunned, and a champagne glass smashed as Jason dropped it in shock.

Lily pulled back at last, and the Doctor grinned at her as she stared up at him sheepishly.

"Right then." He murmured and she laughed at him breathlessly as Amy and Rory laughed.

The Doctor remembered the rest of the room and addressed them again as he called: "Everyone. I'll move my box. You're going to need the space."

He pulled Lily with him as he dashed back into the Tardis and he winked at Amy as he added lightly: "I only came for Lily… and the dancing."


	40. 13-4 Together Again

Later that evening, Lily was almost crying with laughter as the Doctor pulled some incredibly embarrassing, incredibly funny dance moves to Queen's 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'.

Amy was also howling with laughter as she cackled to him: "You're terrible. That is embarrassing!"

"That's it." The Doctor just said cheerily. "That's good. Keep it loose."

The children all swarmed him, loving him and his funny dance. Lily had to sit down she was laughing so hard when the children all copied him as he lifted his arms and wriggled his entire body.

* * *

Much later that night, Lily leaned on the Doctor as they watched Amy and Rory slow dance. He kissed Lily's head as they leaned against the doorway, and he murmured: "Two thousand years. The boy who waited. Good on you, mate."

"Beats your nine hundred." Lily murmured and the Doctor chuckled.

As Amy and Rory kissed softly, the Doctor led Lily away as they slipped outside to where the Tardis was parked.

"We should still say goodbye." Lily murmured softly.

"You know how I feel about goodbyes." The Doctor murmured, and Lily nodded.

"Some things never change." She mused lightly, and he chuckled.

Lily smiled briefly, before it faded and she asked: "How come my headaches went away?"

The Doctor glanced at her as she eyed him, saying seriously: "The Tardis exploding triggered the metacriris, but why didn't it come back after I remembered you again? Actually, it started to alleviate before that; and it was almost gone after we were in the museum for a bit. Why is that, do you think?"

"I don't know exactly." The Doctor admitted. "It could be that because you were touching Donna, the DNA transfer didn't transfer my whole mind into yours during the metacrisis, and that only a part of me was transferred… Though we'll have to keep an eye on it. That was too close, back then."

"Mmm, I see." Lily hummed, before brightening up as she spotted the Tardis.

Lily's face lit up, but the Doctor slowed down, pulling her to a stop before the Tardis doors before they could go in, saying lightly: "Ah, before I forget."

He pulled back and Lily looked at him curiously as he reached into his suit pocket. Her eyes widened as he pulled out a black velvet box and she gasped as he went down on one knee before her.

"Lilian Tyler." The Doctor said gently and Lily's hand flew to her mouth as he opened the box to reveal a simple yet elegant ring with a twist in the silver, a small diamond sparkling in the middle as it sat nestled in the black satin cushion.

"Would you do me the honour of being my wife?" The Doctor asked, and Lily choked a little as she replied: "I've already given you my answer."

"And I've asked before, and I'm asking again properly." He pointed out and she laughed, although it was very breathy as she struggled to breathe.

"Yes." Lily murmured and his eyes lit up happily as Lily laughed delightedly.

"As I said, it will always, always, be yes… _Christo_." She whispered, knowing she couldn't say the whole name, not ever.

His eyes widened and then he crowed triumphantly as he leapt to his feet and pulled her into his arms. Lily laughed as he swung her through the air, both of them drunk on their own happiness as he spun them to a stop so that he could place the engagement ring on her finger.

She beamed as he did so and once it was on, he stared down into her eyes before he bent his head and kissed her. Lily melted into his arms as he held her close, and she placed her arms around his neck, pulling him down so that she could deepen the kiss.

After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart for air and the Doctor pressed his forehead against hers as they stared into each others' eyes happily. They were interrupted as a voice called from behind: "Did you dance?"

The Doctor pulled a face while Lily laughed and they turned to see River Song standing by the trees. River added lightly: "Well, you always dance at weddings, don't you, Doctor?"

His lips curved and he replied bemused, although his shoulders had tensed just slightly: "You tell me."

River smiled back as she replied with a light shrug: "Spoilers."

She walked out and over, holding her arms out to Lily. Lily let go of the Doctor and walked to meet the other woman, hugging her tightly.

"Glad to see you're alright." River murmured and Lily laughed.

"Thank you. You're the one who left Amy the hint and alerted me to the fact that there was something wrong." Lily replied with a grin, and River smiled.

Her eyes fell on the ring and her eyes widened as she asked excitedly: "Oh, did he just propose?"

Lily nodded, smiling, while the Doctor was puzzled. River's reaction indicated she was ecstatic at the news, but he'd been certain… The Doctor shook the thoughts away as he walked up behind Lily and he held out River's diary and vortex manipulator.

"The writing's all back, but I didn't peek." The Doctor told her with a meaningful look and River smiled at him.

"Thank you." She replied as the Doctor wrapped an arm around Lily's waist.

River glanced at the gesture with a small smile, while Lily remembered something else. River had whispered the Doctor's name at the Library, she'd known his secret. How had she known? But she couldn't just ask, it might not have happened yet.

After a brief internal struggle, Lily asked: "River, can I ask you a somewhat personal question?"

River looked surprised, and replied with raised brows: "Of course, Sweetie."

She smiled, and Lily smiled back softly as she asked carefully: "River… are you married?"

The Doctor tensed beside her while River appraised the pair.

"Would you like to meet him? My husband?" River asked. Lily's eyes widened while the Doctor's brows shot up and he looked vaguely alarmed.

"Can I?" Lily asked, and River nodded. Lily glanced at the Doctor, who shrugged.

"Why not?" He said, trying to sound casually interested and failing miserably.

River smiled and glanced over her shoulder, calling: "You can come out, love."

Lily watched curiously as a man stepped out of the shadows and she examined him with interest as the light from the Tardis fell on his face. He was tall, about the Doctor's height, with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a rather handsome face.

But Lily paled a little as she recognized him, as did the Doctor, while River introduced: "This is my personal prison guard and husband, Rickey."

Both the Doctor and Lily blinked in surprise at the introduction, and River smiled, enjoying the pair's reaction. But she wondered why she detected some apprehension in both of their reactions to the man's appearance.

The Doctor nodded slowly at the man in greeting while Lily shook his hand, both somewhat amused by the introduction but also so very, very afraid.

But Lily tried not to show her sadness at the man's appearance as she greeted as warmly as she could: "Pleasure to meet you, Rickey."

Lily was surprised when he smiled and replied: "No, the pleasure's mine, as always."

She raised her brows and glanced at River as she asked: "So, we'll meet again in the future, I take it? I mean, the four of us?" She added a little quickly.

The Doctor noticed and squeezed her gently but thankfully River didn't notice as she answered with a laugh: "Spoilers. But yes, a few times."

Lily laughed a little, though it sounded slightly strained, as the Doctor reached out to shake the other man's hand as well.

"So, does that mean you're Mr. Song?" The Doctor asked.

"No - it's Smith, actually." Rickey corrected, surprising Lily and the Doctor, and River smiled.

Before the Doctor could ask, however, both Rickey and River answered mysteriously: "Spoilers."

The Doctor made a face, and both Lily and River chuckled. Rickey promised: "It'll be an adventure. I can promise you that now… Doctor."

The Doctor looked at him, amused and somewhat surprised as he heard the slight hesitation in the man's voice before he named him, while River added: "You're going to find out very soon now."

Her face changed and she added in a darker tone: "And I'm sorry, but that's when everything changes."

She pressed the button on her manipulator just as her husband grabbed her hand, and the two vanished. The Doctor and Lily exchanged glances, before the Doctor complained lightly: "I hate it when she does that."

Lily laughed lightly as they turned back to the Tardis, but trailed off quickly.

The Doctor noticed and he simply answered gently: "Lily, love, we already knew River would die in our future. Does it matter that we know how he dies, too?"

"But, now we know who he was married to, and…" Lily sighed mournfully.

The Doctor took her hand gently and she murmured: "He was so brave on that ship on that trip on Midnight…"

"I know." The Doctor murmured. "But we know what happens to River as well. Maybe they'll find peace together."

Lily nodded, somewhat grudgingly, but she smiled softly as the Doctor pressed a reassuring kiss on her forehead, and they finally stepped inside the Tardis.

"I never realized, it's been redecorated since the last time." Lily noted as she looked around with fresh eyes.

The Doctor smiled softly but he was nervous as he asked: "Yes, happens with the, er, regeneration. Do you like it?"

Lily smiled as she heard the uncertainty in his voice, knowing his question went deeper than just the Tardis decorations.

"I liked the old one… but I like this one, too." Lily said softly as she looked him in the eyes.

They were the familiar yet unfamiliar green, and although she sometimes felt a little startled by just how light his eyes were now that her memories were back, she knew it didn't matter. Because when she looked into his eyes, she could see the Doctor she loved, the man within that never changed despite his new face and quirks.

But that reminded her of something else, and her face turned serious as Lily said softly: "When I saw you again for the first time, you told me you'd just changed your face."

He nodded, waiting and Lily murmured quietly: "You were alone when we met."

The Doctor went silent, averting his eyes and her face saddened.

"Doctor?" Lily asked softly, and he sighed before he nodded.

"After you and Donna…" He admitted at last. "I didn't have it in me to take on another companion."

"You went through your regeneration all alone?" Lily asked sadly and his lips quirked into a small sad smile.

"It was better, knowing you were safe." He answered quietly.

She reached over and hugged him tightly, and he answered the embrace, holding her close as she whispered: "It wasn't better. And I mean it, Doctor – don't do it again."

"I won't." He promised as he buried his face in her hair while she pressed her face into the crook of his neck.

He held her for a moment before leaning back, and Lily smiled before closing her eyes as he bent down to kiss her once more.

They broke apart, startled when the Tardis doors were flung open and Amy poked her head in, shouting: "Oi! Where are you two off to? Oops." She added as she saw Lily's pink face and the Doctors annoyed one.

"Sorry." Amy said, although she didn't look sorry at all as she walked inside, hiking up her wedding dress as she climbed up to the console.

"Amy!" Rory called as he followed, closing the door behind him.

Amy stood with her arms folded before the two, and Lily chuckled while the Doctor sighed, giving up on privacy for the moment as he addressed the newly wedded couple: "Sorry, you two. Shouldn't have slipped away. Bit busy, you know?"

"Oh, you looked busy." Amy teased, and Lily laughed.

Rory meanwhile raised his brows at the Doctor as he pointed out: "You just saved the whole of space and time? Take the evening off. Maybe a bit of tomorrow."

"Spend some quality time with Lily." Amy added cheekily, and the other three all wrinkled their noses at her. "What?"

The Doctor simply to Rory, saying seriously: "Space and time isn't safe yet. The Tardis exploded for a reason. Something drew the Tardis to this particular date, and blew it up."

The Tardis phone began to ring and Lily watched amusedly as he went on: "Why? And why now? The Silence, whatever it is, is still out there, and I have to- Excuse me a moment."

He finally picked up the ringing phone, calling: "Hello?"

"Oh, hello." He said in a much friendlier voice.

Amy leaned over and whispered to Lily: "So, he asked you officially?"

She gestured at the ring on the brunette's hand and Lily smiled, nodding while the Doctor continued: "I'm sorry, this is a very bad line."

He paused and then muttered: "No, no, no, but that's not possible. She was sealed into the seventh Obelisk. I was at the prayer meeting."

Lily suppressed a smile as Amy and Rory exchanged glances. The Doctor paused again and Lily began to smirk as he replied: "Well, no, I get that it's important. An Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express," Lily snorted as the Doctor glanced at Rory and Amy, "in space. Give us a mo."

He quickly covered the receiver as he addressed the newly weds: "Sorry, something's come up. This will have to be goodbye."

The pair nodded as Amy agrred: "Yeah, I think it's goodbye."

She turned to Rory as she asked: "Do you think it's goodbye?"

"Definitely goodbye." Rory agreed.

Amy ran down the console steps and Lily beamed at Rory as he grinned at her. Amy flung open the door and yelled out to Leadworth: "Goodbye!"

Lily laughed and Rory and the Doctor chuckled, while Amy waltzed back inside. The Doctor placed the phone back to his ear as he said cheerfully: "Don't worry about a thing, your Majesty. We're on our way."

He hung up as Lily began to pull levers. The Doctor joined her as they pressed buttons before reaching for the final lever together. With a grin, the pair pulled it together, and the four hung on tight as the Tardis wheezed.


	41. 14-1 A Christmas Carol

"Doctor!" Lily cried as the console sparked. He yelped, running around and trying to fly after the distress signal they'd been sent.

"Doctor!" Lily yelled impatiently, before shrieking as part of the console burst up in sparks.

"Trying!" He shouted back, and Lily ran over to help, deciding it was probably the quicker path. She pulled levers and pressed buttons, rotating the Tardis.

"Oi, backseat driving!" The Doctor shouted as he ran around her and she countered: "Not backseat when it's better than the driver!"

"Now, that's not being very nice." He pouted, but Lily just laughed at him, kissing his cheek as they dashed around each other. He grinned back, but was quickly distracted as the scanner beeped.

"There it is!" The Doctor whooped delightedly, and Lily glanced over at the screen to see the spiraling starliner as it fell towards the planet below.

"Amy and Rory, can't even go on their honeymoon without getting into trouble!" The Doctor chortled as he maneuvered the Tardis, making the whole place shake as they spun while Lily gave him a skeptical look.

"And being chased by natives on a water planet during a honeymoon while basically _naked_ because _someone_ 'forgot' that we can't just go swimming in the tribal holy waters isn't trouble?" She retorted, although there was a joking tone in her voice and an amused gleam in her eyes.

"Well, I was rather distracted - that bikini really should be outlawed, except I like it on you too much." The Doctor countered, making Lily laugh. She shook her head, but she was still laughing as he pulled a lever and brought them up before the starliner.

"Send them the message, love!" The Doctor called and Lily ran around to the smaller screen and typed quickly.

"Sent!" She cried happily as she pressed the 'send' button, broadcasting the message to the starliner: 'Come along Pond…'

Lily was then sent flying as the Tardis hit a thundercloud and jolted. The Doctor quickly opened his arms, catching her expertly as she flew into his arms.

"Merry Christmas!" Lily said with a laugh, and the Doctor chuckled.

"Merry Christmas." He returned.

He then held them steady against the console as he pushed a button and then placed his hand on a lever. The Doctor and Lily shared grins before he pulled the lever, shouting: "Geronimo!"

* * *

The Doctor went tumbling down the chimney and Lily sighed. Of course he went down the bloody chimney.

The Tardis had landed beside a chimney on the roof of some fancy mansion, and it was Christmas Eve. So what did the Doctor have to do? Jump down the chimney. Lily could already imagine all the soot he'd caused to fall out of the fireplace with him when he tumbled out the bottom.

Lily sighed again, and then glanced up at the massive energy generator on the domed part of the roof.

It went high up into the sky, towering above her, and the generator was what was causing the storm that Amy and Rory were trapped in, by controlling the ice particles in the clouds. It was also what was keeping the Tardis out of the crashing starliner, making it impossible for the Doctor to save the starliner's occupants.

Lily shook herself. This was no time to be musing about, she needed to get to the Doctor. Though she couldn't help but mourn the loss of their Christmas date plans as she readjusted her red Christmas dress.

' _Although'_ , she admitted to herself as she headed for the rooftop balcony, ' _if I'd wanted the quiet life I wouldn't have married the Doctor.'_

Climbing over the balcony, she expertly held out the Doctor's sonic, unlocking the balcony windows. Quickly slipping inside, she soniced around for the Doctor, following the sonic's direction as it began to beep. Lily headed down several flights of stairs and wound her way through various corridors before finally stopping at a pair of stately, ornate wooden doors.

Deciding she'd better be polite, Lily knocked on the doors. She folded her hands behind her back, waiting patiently- though she didn't have to wait very long. The doors were flung open and a very sooty, very excited Doctor beamed down at her.

"Lily!" He said delightedly, and she chuckled.

"Come along, it's all very exciting." The Doctor said cheerfully as he tugged on her hand and dragged her inside.

Lily saw the large room was already occupied by a rather grumpy looking old man, clearly the owner of the mansion given his expensive suit, a pair of servants and a small family, maybe mid-low class judging by their worn clothes.

All of them were staring at the Doctor, and her by extension, as though they had just seen an alien. Which, to be fair, they had. There was also a cryogenic chamber, with a pretty blonde woman frozen inside, standing in the middle of the room. It made Lily wonder who the woman was, but decided it was best not to mention anything yet. Not while the old man was glaring daggers at them.

"Here," Lily piped up as she handed him back his sonic, "and you're going to need a deep cleanse on that jacket and bow tie after this if you ever want to wear it again."

She nodded at the thick layer of soot and grime.

He grinned at her, but simply led her over to a large control panel that looked like an organ.

"Look at this." He said excitedly. "Now, this console is the key to saving that ship," he began to press around on the controls randomly, "or I'll eat my hat. If I had a hat. I'll eat someone's hat. Not someone who's using their hat. I don't want to shock a nun, or something."

"Doctor." Lily interjected softly and he continued: "Sorry, rambling, because, because this isn't working!" He snapped irritably as the console continued to just beep at him.

"Maybe if you asked nicely for help?" Lily suggested pointedly, glancing back at the old man.

The man glowered at her as he growled at the Doctor: "The controls are isomorphic. One to one. They respond only to me."

He began to walk over as Lily raised her brows, while the Doctor turned to the old man and he scoffed: "Oh, you fibber."

He turned back to the controls and began pressing randomly again as he said scornfully: "Isomorphic. There's no such thing."

Lily raised a brow – she definitely remembered hearing about a certain isomorphic laser screwdriver - as the console continued to just beep back at the Doctor. She blinked in surprise however as the old man touched one button and the whole control system shut down.

The Doctor stared at the old man in shock, and the old man touched another button and the control system switched on again, his point made. Lily stared at the old man and then rolled her eyes as the Doctor tried the same buttons and the controls just beeped back at him, unresponsive. He kept pressing it, pouting and making Lily drop her face into her hand with a sigh.

Undeterred, the Doctor grabbed his sonic next, pointing it at the controls hopefully while Lily rolled her eyes. Sure enough, nothing happened and the Doctor turned to point the screwdriver at the old man.

"Done?" Lily asked, and the Doctor put away his sonic as he agreed sulkily: "These controls are isomorphic."

"The skies of this entire world are mine." The old man explained contemptuously. "My family tamed them, and now I own them."

Lily frowned while the Doctor raised his brows and asked incredulously: "Tamed the sky? What does that mean?"

"It means," the old man snarled as he walked away, "I'm Kazran Sardick. How can you possibly not know who I am?"

"Well," the Doctor replied lightly, "just easily bored, I suppose."

Lily glanced back at the controls as the Doctor walked after the old man, declaring: "So, I need your help, then."

Lily turned and began to follow the Doctor but stopped in shock as Sardick answered shortly: "Make an appointment."

The Doctor also stopped, staring at the old man.

"There are four thousand and three people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt." He pointed out. "Without your help, they're going to die."

"Yes." Sardick replied indifferently.

Lily's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened in disbelief at Sardick's answer. The Doctor raised a brow, but he kept his tone light as he said: "You don't have to let that happen."

"I know," Sardick answered unconcernedly, "but I'm going to."

Lily stared incredulously as Sardick added shortly: "Bye, bye. Bored now. Chuck."

He called and the servants immediately moved to grab the Doctor and Lily. They also grabbed the family and began to drag the group out, but Lily dodged the servant trying to get her while the Doctor pulled angrily away from the servant holding him.

He strode over to Sardick as the old man sat in his armchair by the fireplace, Lily joining the Doctor as Sardick said sarcastically: "Ooo, look at you, looking all tough now."

The Doctor's tone was dark now as he said sharply: "There are four thousand and three people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?"

He leveled a dark look at Sardick, but the old man was unmoved as he asked casually: "Where?"

"Four thousand and four." The Doctor answered darkly.

Lily's eyes narrowed as Sardick asked mockingly: "Was that a sort of threat-y thing?"

"Whatever happens tonight, remember," the Doctor said sternly, "you brought it on yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, right." Sardick replied carelessly.

The Doctor's eyes were icy with cold fury as Sardick ordered: "Get him and this girl out of here."

The servant returned, grabbing the Doctor although he didn't touch Lily after the Doctor shot a warning glare at the man. The Doctor led Lily with him as the servant roughly pushed them towards the doors to join the poor family.

Sardick added dismissively as they were all ushered out: "And next time, try and find me some funny poor people."

Lily's temper flared at those words, but before she could snap angrily, the little boy from the family ran forwards to grab a piece of coal from the ground and threw it at Sardick's head. The old man cried as it hit him right on the back of the head, before he turned in a mix of anger and disbelief.

For a split second, everyone froze in incredulous horror, and then Sardick shot out of his chair and hobbled towards the little boy, looking absolutely livid. The boy was frozen to the spot in fear, and Lily's eyes widened as Sardick lifted his hand to hit the boy.

"No!" Lily exclaimed as the Doctor cried in alarm: "No, stop, don't!"

"Don't you dare! You leave him!" The boy's father shouted, struggling against his guard.

Lily broke away from the Doctor's grip, dropping forward to shield the boy right as Sardick's hand lifted high and the Doctor yelled in panic: "Lily!"

Lily didn't budge, holding the boy tightly as he shook in her arms while she braced herself for the blow.

But nothing came, and she blinked in confusion. Glancing back up, she paused as she saw Sardick hesitating, his face showing conflicted emotions as he stared back down at her and the terrified little boy.

As soon as her eyes met his though, Sardick turned away and shouted sharply: "Get her out of here. Get _him_ out of here. Get that foul-smelling family out of here. Out!"

The servants shoved the family out again as Lily let go of the boy, letting his father take him. The father nodded at her gratefully, even as he sent one last withering look at Sardick as he and his family were shoved out. The Doctor wrenched himself free from his guard, moving to gently help Lily back up.

She let him, nodding in response to his silent question as he quickly checked her. He nodded back in satisfaction, wrapping his arm around her waist as they both turned back to Sardick curiously. The old man had turned away, but sensing their presence, he turned back to face them.

"What?" He demanded angrily, but Lily detected a hint of defeat in his tone.

Lily cocked her head, examining him silently as he asked sharply: "What do you want?"

"A simple life." The Doctor answered absently.

He also examined the man curiously as he said thoughtfully: "But you didn't hit the boy."

"Well, I will next time." Sardick snapped angrily, but the Doctor countered: "You see, you won't."

He let go of Lily and stepped forward, asking thoughtfully: "Now why?"

Sardick almost flinched, but the Doctor continued: "What am I missing?"

He walked past Sardick, pondering his own question. Lily also thought about the old man's strange behaviour, and she glanced around the room again.

She saw what she'd missed the first time just as Sardick said sharply: "Get out. Get out of this house."

"The chairs." Lily said softly.

The Doctor spun around and he murmured in agreement: "The chairs. Of course, the chairs. Stupid me, the chairs."

"The chairs?" Sardick asked in confusion, glancing between the strange pair. Lily nodded and her eyes were filled with pity as she walked over to join the Doctor.

"There's a portrait on the wall behind me." The Doctor explained, speaking rapidly. "Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father. All the chairs are angled away from it."

Sardick flinched but the Doctor continued: "Daddy's been dead for twenty years, but you still can't get comfortable where he can see you. There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him, and you're scared of being like him, and good for you, you're not like him, not really."

Sardick was looking overwhelmed and afraid, and Lily lay her hand gently on the Doctor's. The Doctor paused as Lily silently urged him to slow down. He took in Sardick's ashen expression, and the Doctor asked slowly quietly: "Do you know why?"

Lily's heart almost broke for the poor man as Sardick asked in a frightened whisper: "Why?"

In that one word was all the doubt and fear and her heart reached out for this man. He had been cold and indifferent, but Lily could now see he wasn't nearly as heartless as he'd initially appeared, and she wondered how he'd come to be so cruel.

"Because you didn't hit the boy." Lily answered softly.

Sardick stared at them wordlessly, seeming stunned. The Doctor smiled gently at the old man, and he murmured: "Merry Christmas, Mr. Sardick."

"I despise Christmas!" The old man shouted back bitterly, and the Doctor's smile turned sad while Lily's face fell.

But the Doctor simply wrapped his arm around Lily's waist and led her out with him. Sardick watched stoically, and didn't move as they walked past him.

As the pair walked towards the doors, the Doctor said lightly: "You shouldn't. It's very you."

"It's what?" Sardick asked blankly as he turned to watch them.

The pair paused in the doorway and looked back at the old man as he asked apprehensively: "What do you mean?"

Lily smiled kindly while the Doctor answered with a wry smile: "Halfway out of the dark."

Sardick blinked in surprise, and the Doctor turned back to the front. He quietly led Lily out with him, just as the servants returned, keeping a steady hand on her waist.

"The poor man." Lily murmured pityingly as they made their way outside, and the Doctor nodded. "He's just lonely."

"And what a night to be lonely on." The Doctor sighed as they both walked out of the mansion and into the streets decorated for Christmas.

Lily nodded, before she glanced up at the sky where the clouds were still swirling as lightning crackled.

"We should call Amy; let her know what's going on." Lily added as she turned to the Doctor, pulling out her mobile. "And don't lie to her."

"I never lie." The Doctor answered with a slight smile as he rung Amy on Lily's phone.

"Ah, Amy!" He greeted when the redhead picked up, before he paused.

"Yes, I do." The Doctor announced, and Lily frowned.

"What did she ask?" Lily asked, when the Doctor added sheepishly as he glanced at Lily: "Yes, I am."

"Doctor…" Lily warned, and he admitted to her: "She asked if I had a plan."

"And, let me guess, she saw right through you." Lily said, rolling her eyes, and the Doctor admitted: "Er, well… yes."

"Don't treat her like an idiot." Lily sighed, and the Doctor muttered under his breath: "Clearly, you two have been spending too much time together if you're saying the same thing."

"What was that?" Lily asked, and he said quickly: "Nothing, nothing, now, Amy," he addressed the redhead once more as he avoided Lily's suspicious eyes, "the good news. I've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt. I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily."

Lily waited patiently, and the Doctor added after Amy replied: "But I can't control the machine."

Lily raised a brow as the Doctor continued: "But I've met a man who can."

He paused again before adding: "And he hates me."

"Why don't you just tell her all the news in one go, sans dramatic pauses?" Lily sighed, and the Doctor wagged his finger at her while he protested to something Amy had said: "No, no; I had Lily with me."

He paused again, before saying in an offended tone: "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sir?" A voice called to them, and both the Doctor and Lily glanced over as the voice added: "Miss."

Lily recognized the man as the father from earlier, the father of the boy who'd thrown soot at Sardick. The Doctor clearly remembered him too, as he murmured into Lily's mobile: "Hang on."

He placed Amy on hold for the moment as the man came up to him and Lily, saying gratefully: "I've never seen anybody stand up to Mr. Sardick like that. And you about saved my son, miss. Bless you, sir, miss, and merry Christmas."

He shook their hands as he spoke, and Lily answered warmly: "Merry Christmas to you, sir."

"Exactly, Merry Christmas." The Doctor agreed with a smile. "Lovely. Sorry, bit busy."

He gestured to the mobile in his hand, and the other man nodded though he warned: "You'd better get inside quickly, though, sir, miss. The fog's thick tonight, and there's a fish warning."

Lily's brow rose, while the Doctor dismissed absently: "All right, yeah. Sorry, fish?"

He suddenly refocused, and Lily also listened closely as the other man nodded: "Yeah, you know what they're like when they get a bit hungry."

"Yeah, fish," the Doctor interrupted, "I know fish."

He mimed a swimming creature with his hands as he checked: "Fish?"

"It's all Mr. Sardick's fault, I reckon." The man answered as he pointed up at the clouded sky. "He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood."

Lily stared up, before a small smile started to tug on her lips as the man placed his goggles back on over his eyes before he shook their hands again, saying one more time: "Thank you. Bless you once again, sir. Miss."

He left with that, and the Doctor stared after the man as he repeated incredulously: "Fish?"

He looked at Lily, who smiled as she said: "Fish."

She pointed to a nearby streetlamp, where there was a small shoal of tiny little fish swimming in the air around the light.

The Doctor looked as well, and his eyes widened before he breathed: "Fish."

"Fish that can swim in fog." The Doctor murmured as he took a step closer to examine the creatures more intently. "I love new planets."

"Mhm." Lily hummed in agreement as she also stepped closer, while the Doctor raised a hand towards the fish.

A few little ones swam down towards his outstretched fingers, nibbling on them as the Doctor cooed: "Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellows? Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies."

Lily chuckled at the Doctor's mushy words, before she blinked as the small fish all swam away abruptly, as though scared off.

"I wonder what scared them." Lily noted, and the Doctor said thoughtfully: Well, fish in the fog, so the cloud cover... Ooo."

He and Lily exchanged looks, before Lily remembered.

"Amy!" She looked at the mobile, and the Doctor quickly got back on the phone as he warned the redhead: "Careful up there."

He listened to something the redhead said, sounding agitated from the sounds Lily could hear, before the Doctor turned sharply to stare at the clock tower in the middle of the town.

"Doctor?" Lily asked, glancing between the tower and the Doctor before she realized he wasn't looking at the tower; he was looking at the _clock_. It was currently almost eleven o'clock at night – one hour before midnight on Christmas Eve, and Lily wondered what significance it could have.

"I know." The Doctor told Amy, just as the clock struck eleven and the town's loudspeaker system began playing merrily: "Ding dong merrily on high-"

"Oh." Lily breathed as she realized, and she looked at the Doctor as she asked: "Midnight?"

"Midnight." He agreed, before saying into the phone: "Oh, just give me a minute!"

He smacked his forehead as he began to mutter to himself, while the carol continued to play around them: "Can't use the Tardis, because it can't lock on."

He started to pace around as he continued to think aloud: "So, that ship needs to land. But it can't land unless a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice just in time for Christmas Day."

"Yes, but how?" Lily wondered, while the Doctor snapped back to Amy on the phone: "A Christmas carol."

A lightbulb went off in Lily's head, and she grabbed the Doctor's arm as he repeated, more loudly, into the mobile: "A Christmas carol."

"Doctor!" Lily gasped, and he turned to look at her just as he yelled into the phone again so Amy could hear him over the music: "A Christmas Carol!"

He froze, staring at Lily as his words sunk in and he had the same epiphany she had had.

"A Christmas Carol." Lily agreed, as the music continued to play in the background, and the Doctor said slowly: "Kazran Sardick."

Lily's eyes lit up with equal excitement as she and the Doctor both turned to look up at the tower with the machine causing the clouds; the tower where Sardick was currently holed up.

"Merry Christmas, Kazran Sardick." The Doctor murmured as he stared up at the impressive mansion.


	42. 14-2 Ghost of Christmas

Sardick woke up with a start in the main room of his mansion, blinking as he thought he heard the old nightmarish shouting from his father.

He blinked, startled, as he stared at the projected footage before him, showing a scene from his childhood – when he was twelve and half, as he recalled – where Sardick had been filming his 'top secret special project' in his bedroom before his father had discovered him.

"Kazran!" The footage of his old father snarled as he stalked up to the young boy, terrifying even though he was leaning on his cane in his age. "What are you doing? What are you doing?!"

In the main room, Kazran Sardick flinched away from the projection, frightened, as his now deceased father shouted onscreen: "I've warned you before about this, you stupid, ignorant, ridiculous child."

Sardick stood, shoulders hunched and slightly behind his chair as he watched his younger self say fearfully: "I was just going to make a film of the fish."

"The fish are dangerous." His father – Elliot Sardick - growled, and Kazran pleaded: "I just want to see them."

"Don't be stupid." Elliot snapped. "You're far too young."

"Everyone at school's seen the fish." Young Kazran protested, and his father hissed: "That's enough. You'll be singing to them next, like gypsies."

"The singing works." Young Kazran argued. "I've seen it. The fish like the singing."

"What does it matter what fish like?" Elliot growled, and Kazran tried again: "People say we don't have to be afraid of the fish. They're not really interested in us."

"You don't listen to people. You listen to me!" His father shouted, before slapping his son across the face.

Onscreen, Young Kazran cried out in pain, while in the main room Sardick cowered as he touched his cheek, the sting from his past still fresh in his mind.

"I'm sorry, Father." Young Kazran whimpered onscreen.

Unseen, the Doctor walked quietly back into the room, watching Sardick with a mix of pity and sympathy as the old man gazed at the screen where his father was shouting: "This is my house. While you're under my roof, you'll obey my instructions."

The Young Kazran was sobbing into his arms onscreen as his father continued to shout, and the Doctor touched Sardick's shoulder gently to get his attention as he murmured: "It's okay."

Sardick still flinched in surprise, whirling around and stumbling slightly in shock as he saw the Doctor standing there.

"It's okay." The Doctor repeated soothingly, and Sardick snarled at them: "What have you done? What is this?"

He pointed at the screen viciously to emphasize his point.

"Found it on an old drive." The Doctor replied calmly. "Sorry about the picture quality. Had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paperclip."

The Doctor settled into Sardick's abandoned armchair and picked up the newspaper, flipping through it as Sardick hobbled on his cane towards the fireplace.

"Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants." The Doctor called, not even looking up from the paper. "They quit."

Sardick turned in shock, even as he pulled on the bell once in case.

"Apparently they won the lottery at exactly the same time." The Doctor explained lightly. "Which is a bit lucky, when you think about it."

"There isn't a lottery." Sardick snapped as he walked back to face the man sitting in his armchair, and the Doctor returned calmly: "Yeah, as a I say… lucky."

Sardick made to snipe back, but paused as onscreen his father said firmly: "There's a fog warning tonight. You keep these windows closed, understand? Closed."

Elliot slammed the windows shut as he spoke, and Sardick looked down at the Doctor.

"Who are you?" He asked in a low voice, and the Doctor replied lightly: "Tonight, I'm a Ghost Of Christmas Past."

Sardick frowned before looking back on the screen where Elliot was saying firmly: "Mrs. Mantovani will be looking after you tonight. You stay here till she comes. Do you understand? Do you understand?"

"Did you ever get to see a fish, back then, when you were a kid?" The Doctor asked, and Sardick snapped caustically: "What does that matter to you?"

"Look how it mattered to you." The Doctor returned, nodding at the screen where Young Kazran was sobbing.

Sardick stared at the screen as he murmured: "I cried all night, and I learned life's most invaluable lesson."

"Ah." The Doctor said lightly as he paced around Sardick. "Which is?"

"Nobody comes." Sardick snarled as he turned on the Doctor. "Get out! Get out of my house!"

"Okay." The Doctor replied as he quickly avoided the angry old man as he walked towards the room doors. "Okay, but I'll be back. Way back."

Sardick watched in confusion as the Doctor paused in the doorway, smiling mysteriously as he finished: "Way, way back."

The Doctor disappeared into the Tardis – which he had parked outside the door earlier – and Lily raised a brow from where she was leaning against the console.

"When are we going?" She asked the Doctor as he ran around the console, and the Doctor answered: "Christmas Eve, when Kazran Sardick was twelve and a half years old."

Lily twirled another dial to adjust the date so that the Doctor actually made it to the right time, before she noticed where he was planning on parking them.

"We're outside." She pointed out, and he replied as the Tardis landed with her regular wheezing: "Yes, we are."

Lily raised a brow but just shrugged and she hopped out with the Doctor into a thick foggy night, right outside a circular window. Inside, was a little boy sitting in his bedroom and staring at them curiously as the Doctor spread his arms wide.

"See?" The Doctor announced before he popped the window open. "Back."

"Who are you?" The boy asked, staring, and the Doctor replied brightly: "Hi. I'm the Doctor and this is Lily. I'm _your_ new babysitter, and she's _my_ babysitter, so here we are! Sorted!"

Lily snorted as the Doctor hopped into the room, before holding out a hand to help her down while the young Kazran asked them: "Where's Mrs. Mantovani?"

"Oh, you'll never guess." The Doctor answered cheerfully as he ran over to jump on Kazran's bed. "Clever old Mrs. Manters, she only went and won the lottery."

"There isn't any lottery." Kazran protested, and the Doctor answered with a laugh; "I know! What a woman."

"Doctor, get off the bed, you've still got your shoes on." Lily reminded, and the Doctor quickly hopped off the bed while Kazran asked with a puzzled expression: "If you're my babysitter, why are you climbing in the window?"

"Because if I was climbing out of the window, I'd be going in the wrong direction." The Doctor remarked, as though it were obvious. "Pay attention."

"But Mrs. Mantovani's always my babysitter." Kazran protested again as he looked between the unusual couple oddly.

"Times change." Lily offered, and the Doctor agreed as he lean in close to the camera still filming the whole scene: "They do indeed. Wouldn't you say? You see? Christmas Past."

He smiled at the camera, and Kazran asked in confusion: "Who are you talking to?"

"You." The Doctor answered, before he spoke into the camera again: "Now, your past is going to change. That means your memories will too. Bit scary, but you'll get the hang of it."

"I don't understand." Kazran said slowly, and Lily advised: "Don't worry, just let him be."

"I thought you were his babysitter." Kazran asked, confused, and Lily shrugged – it wasn't entirely wrong at times - as she answered: "Yes, so let him be. You'll start to see."

Kazran continued to look at her, puzzled, while the Doctor turned and began to bounce on his side on the bed again though he kept his shoes off of it this time.

"Doctor." Lily called, clearing her throat as she looked down at young Kazran pointedly.

"Ah!" The Doctor said as he spun around, facing Kazran again. "Right then, your bedroom! Great. Let's see. You're twelve years old, so," he checked under the bed, "we'll stay away from under the bed."

Kazran stared at the Doctor while the Doctor declared delightedly as pointed across the room: "Cupboard! Big cupboard. I love a cupboard."

He threw the doors open, peering inside as he added mysteriously: "Do you know, there's a thing called a face spider. It's just like a tiny baby's head with spider legs, and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the backs of bedroom cupboards…"

"Doctor." Lily warned, and the Doctor shut the cupboard doors as he said hastily to an alarmed Kazran: "Which, yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned. Right."

He clapped his hands together as he asked Kazran excitedly: "So. What are we going to do? Eat crisps and talk about girls? I've never actually done that," he added to Lily, "but I bet it's easy."

He turned back to Kazran as he beamed: "Girls, yeah? Although," he turned back to Lily again, "that would be kind of awkward for you, Lily – so maybe not talk about girls, then."

Lily snorted, while Kazran asked as he eyed the Doctor warily: "Are you _really_ a babysitter?"

The Doctor straightened as he answered while reaching into his tweed jacket: "I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult."

He flipped open his psychic paper, showing it to Kazran while Lily scoffed quietly to herself. _'Mature -_ sure _.'_

Kazran meanwhile blinked, before he told the Doctor uncertainly as he looked from the psychic paper to the Doctor: "It's just a lot of wavy lines."

Lily choked as a laugh got caught in her airways, while the Doctor checked the psychic paper and muttered: "Yeah, it's shorted out. Finally, a lie too big."

He re-pocketed his psychic paper while Lily said to Kazran: "Don't worry – you've got me."

"You're a mature and responsible adult?" Kazran asked dubiously, and Lily scoffed: "Of course not – but, I have years of practice and experience. And you, young man," she smiled at Kazran sweetly with a hint of teasing, "can't possibly be more trouble than the Doctor."

Kazran stared at her while the Doctor got distracted by the sight outside the windows again, and he clapped his hands together, rubbing them together as was his habit as he said excitedly: "Fish in the fog. Fish in the clouds. How do people ever get bored? How did boredom even get invented?"

Lily shook her head fondly, before she suggested to Kazran: "So, Kazran, tell us what you think of the fish in the sky."

"I've never seen them." The little boy answered a little sadly. "But," he added, "my dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt. 'Tame the sky', he says. The fish'll be able to come down, but only when we let them. We can charge whatever we like."

Lily made a noncommittal noise, while the Doctor muttered as he turned to glance back at Kazran: "Yeah. I've seen your dad's machine."

"What?" The little boy frowned, protesting: "You can't have."

The Doctor ignored him as he mused: "Tame the sky. Human beings."

He shook his head as he noted: "You always manage to find the boring alternative, don't you?"

"I'm offended." Lily commented lightly, and the Doctor winked at her as he answered: "You're special – you married me."

"True." Lily teased. "There must be something wrong with me compared to the rest of my species."

"Not 'wrong', 'different'." The Doctor argued. "And there's nothing wrong with different."

"No, there isn't; but people usually consider it to be wrong with falling for a madman." Lily laughed. "Even if he has a pretty neat box."

"All the greatest people in history were considered mad to some degree." The Doctor countered. "Look at dear old Vincent for example. And old Benny Franklin – though, _he_ really was mad."

"Touché – all right, you win." Lily conceded.

"Sorry, you're married?" Kazran asked at last, feeling his head spin slightly from quick the back-and-forth between the Doctor and Lily.

"Yes – tada!" The Doctor wiggled his left hand to show Kazran the gold band sitting on his fourth finger. "Two weeks now; time flies. Don't really know what the phrase means, but it doesn't matter. Basically, it's been absolutely super."

Kazran was looking a little dazed at all the Doctor's rambling, but the Doctor wasn't done as he spun on the spot before asking the little boy randomly: "So, how about it, Kazran?"

"How about what?" The boy asked, confused, and the Doctor said impatiently: "The fish in the clouds. Pay attention."

Kazran blinked, feeling dizzy from trying to keep up with the Doctor's random jumping around, but he did straighten up now as the Doctor looked at the boy intently, asking: "Do you want to see one? A fish. We can do that. We can see a fish."

Kazran hesitated, looking between the Doctor and Lily as he asked: "Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?"

Lily smiled while the Doctor scoffed: "Dangerous? Come on. Lily's a brave woman; and you and I, we're boys."

He nudged Kazran as he added: "And you know what boys say in the face of danger."

"What?" Kazran asked curiously, and the Doctor answered very seriously and without missing a beat: "Mummy!"

* * *

A short while later, Kazran and his new 'babysitters' sat - a little squashed - inside the cupboard, waiting. Lily was practically sitting on the Doctor's lap, while he held her loosely around the waist as Kazran sat on the Doctor's other side.

In the Doctor's other hand, he held up his finger, which was attached to a string that led out of the cupboard, along some lamp fittings on Kazran's bedroom ceiling, and then down. At the other end of the string was the Doctor's screwdriver, the sonic pulsing lightly as it swung slowly in midair in the centre of Kazran's bedroom, swaying slightly when the breeze came in through the open bedroom window.

"Are there any face spiders in here?" Kazran asked in a whisper after some time, and the Doctor explained: "Nah, not at this time of night. They'll all be sleeping in your mattress."

"Moving on," Lily said quickly as the little boy beside them blinked, "why are you so interested in fish, Kazran?"

"Because they're scary." Kazran explained with a small shrug, and the Doctor murmured thoughtfully: "Good answer."

Kazran meanwhile was staring at the Doctor's neck, and he asked: "What kind of tie is that?"

"A cool one." The Doctor answered instantly, and Lily snorted despite herself.

"Why is it… cool?" Kazran asked, glancing from the Doctor to Lily as he gauged their responses, but the Doctor countered: "Why are you _really_ interested in fish?"

Kazran paused at that, looking down slightly as he admitted honestly at last: "My school. During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. Loads of them. A whole shoal. No one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains."

Kazran looked up at them as he spoke, and the Doctor questioned curiously: "Were you scared?"

Kazran's eyes dropped again as he explained: "I wasn't there. I was off sick."

Lily nodded as she realized what had driven Kazran's curiosity with the fish, while the Doctor commented: "Oooh, lucky you."

Lily coughed slightly, indicating with her eyes to Kazran, and the Doctor corrected quickly: "Not lucky?"

Kazran nodded slightly, as he explained softly: "It's all anyone ever talks about now. 'The day the fish came'. Everyone's got a story."

"But you don't." The Doctor murmured, looking at Kazran's video recorder set up before them inside the cupboard. "I see."

He and Lily looked down at that moment, peering at his finger, while Kazran asked curiously: "Why are you recording this?"

"Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?" The Doctor asked suddenly, and Kazran frowned.

"Sorry, what?" The boy asked, and the Doctor pointed out: "Because you're not paying attention now."

He nodded slightly at his finger, where the rope wrapped around the digit was tugging the Doctor's finger back repeatedly.

"Sh." Lily whispered, indicating for Kazran to keep quiet while the Doctor slowly stood up, shifting Lily around in his arm.

Kazran and Lily watched as the Doctor leant carefully against the closet door before reaching over towards the doorknob.

"Doctor, are you sure?" Kazran asked hesitantly, but the Doctor answered: "Trust me."

"Okay…" Kazran answered slowly, sounding very uncertain, and the Doctor said firmly: "Oi. Eyes on the tie."

He tugged on his bow-tie for emphasis as Kazran watched him, and the Doctor stated calmly: "Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust me."

He looked at the boy, who glanced at Lily. The brunette smiled and nodded encouragingly, and a small smile appeared on Kazran's face as well as he turned back to the Doctor, answering: "Yes."

"That's why it's cool." The Doctor informed Kazran, looking meaningfully at the video recorder as well as he addressed future Kazran.

The Doctor stepped out of the closet then, closing the door firmly behind himself, and Lily reassured Kazran: "Don't worry – the Doctor will be fine."

"So he does know what he's doing?" Kazran asked, looking up at Lily as they stood by the closet door, and Lily chuckled.

"No, of course not. The Doctor rarely actually knows what he's doing – especially this one." Lily answered, making Kazran frown in confusion. "But, he always comes up with a way to get out of whatever scrapes he gets us into, so don't worry. Now, sh."

Lily placed a finger to her lips, indicating they should listen to the Doctor.

He'd been rambling about the fish that had made its way over to the sonic, and they listened as the Doctor mused: "Crystalline fog, eh? Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge. Is that how you fly, little fishy?"

"What is it?" Kazran asked through the door, his curiosity and impatience getting the best of him. "What kind? Can I see?"

Lily held onto Kazran's shoulder, as the Doctor answered: "Just stay there a moment."

Kazran looked up at Lily, who smiled gently. The boy nodded, but he couldn't help himself asking curiously: "Is it big?"

"Nah, just a little one." The Doctor answered softly, before murmuring as if to himself: "So, little fellow, what do you eat?"

"How little?" Kazran asked, and Lily frowned as the Doctor answered in a slightly alarmed tone: "Um…"

"Can I come out?" Kazran asked, starting to fidget as he wanted to see the fish for himself, and Lily's frown deepened as the Doctor answered quickly: "No, no. Maybe just… wait there for a moment."

"Doctor?" Lily called warily, while Kazran asked: "What colour is it?"

Kazran looked up at Lily, surprised at her tone, while the Doctor answered Kazran's question almost absently, still sounding nervous: "Big. Big colour."

The cupboard door suddenly flew open and the Doctor dove back inside the cupboard, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Doctor!" Lily gasped, while Kazran cried in alarm: "What's happening?"

"I'm fine." The Doctor told Lily, before explaining to the pair quickly: "Well, concentrating on the plusses, you've definitely got a story of your own now."

The door suddenly shuddered behind them as something smashed into it, and Lily looked at it alarm while the Doctor braced the door with his whole weight as he continued hastily: "Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I think I understand how the fog works, which is going to help me land a spaceship in the future and save a lot of lives."

Kazran stared while Lily opened her mouth, while the Doctor went on: "And I bet I get some very interesting readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it back from the shark in your bedroom."

Lily's open mouth hung open now, while Kazran demanded sharply: "There's a _shark_ in my bedroom?"

"Oh fine, focus on that part." The Doctor snapped, while still bracing the closet door.

There was one final bang, before everything suddenly went quiet.

The Doctor and Lily looked at the door warily, while Kazran asked urgently: "Has it gone?"

When neither adult answered, the boy asked desperately: "What's it doing?"

"Er…" Lily muttered, while the Doctor asked: "What do you call it if you don't have any feet… and you're taking a run-up?"

He and Lily exchanged quick looks before Lily grabbed Kazran and dragged him down with her against the back wall of the closet. The Doctor leapt after them, shielding them with his arm as he too backed far into the wall just as a shark burst through the wooden door.

"It's going to eat us." Kazran cried in terror as they backed as far away as they could from the shark snarling at them with its jaws opened wide. "It's going to eat us. It's going to eat us. Is it going to eat us?"

Lily kept the boy shielded behind her, staring at the shark stuck in the cupboard door, while the Doctor said quickly: "Well, maybe we're going to eat it, but I don't like the odds. It's stuck, though."

"Doctor, inside it!" Lily pointed out, indicating the glowing green light deep inside the shark, which was visible at the back of its open mouth. "When you said it had your sonic-"

"Yes, that was what I meant!" The Doctor answered hastily, still staring at the shark. "Now, let's see. Tiny shark brain. If I had my screwdriver, I could probably send a pulse and stun it."

"Well, where's your screwdriver?" Kazran cried while Lily groaned.

"Well," the Doctor explained to Kazran, "concentrating on the plusses, within reach."

He then turned to Lily as he added almost thoughtfully: "You know, there's a real chance the way it's wedged in the doorway is keeping its mouth open."

"There is?" Kazran asked, while Lily moaned: "Oh, no. No, no, no."

"What's wrong?" Kazran asked, alarmed now, but the Doctor answered: "Just agree with me, because I've only got two goes, and then it's your turn."

He patted Kazran's head, and Lily argued: "No, you miss on your two goes, then I'm going to try _once_ , and then we're going to call it quits."

"Oooh, can't risk your having a turn, love, so that means I'd better get it right the first time."

"Wait, why two goes?" Kazran demanded, looking between the two adults in confusion, and the Doctor explained: "Two arms."

Kazran's eyes went wide, while the Doctor shoved up the sleeves on his right arm as he continued: "Right, then. Okay. Geronimo. Open wide!"

He scooted forward, and Lily covered Kazran's eyes just in case as the Doctor thrust his arm into the shark's open mouth.

* * *

Lily and Kazran sat on their knees beside the now stunned shark, out on the balcony outside Kazran's bedroom window. It had taken all of their effort to move the shark back outside, though the biggest challenge had been trying to get it out of the closet doorway.

The pair peered at the shark, examining it, while the Doctor paced about on the other side of the balcony, cooing: "What's the big fishy done to you? Swallowed half of you, that's what."

He held the half of his screwdriver he had managed to retrieve, holding it gently as he pressed it and tried to make it work while he continued to complain: "Half a screwdriver, what use is that? Bad, big fishy."

"Doctor." Lily called, deciding it was finally enough. And besides, there was another more pressing issue.

"Doctor, I think the shark's dying." Lily informed him, and Kazran gazed at the two adults pleadingly as the Doctor finally came back over.

He quickly scanned the shark, noting: "Half my screwdriver's still inside, but yeah, I think so."

Lily noticed Kazran's face, and she quickly hugged the boy while the Doctor continued: "I doubt they can survive long outside the cloud belt. Just quick raiding trips-"

"Doctor." Lily warned, and the Time Lord looked over to see the tears streaking down Kazran's face while Lily held him tightly in comfort.

"… On a foggy night." The Doctor finished lamely.

Lily gave him a stern look that had the Doctor busy scanning the shark again, while Kazran asked tearfully: "Can't we get it back up there? We were just going to stun it; I didn't want to _kill_ it."

Lily's arms tightened around Kazran as the boy sniffled, clutching her arm as he stared down mournfully at the shark.

The Doctor examined the boy, and he noted quietly: "She was trying to eat you."

"She was hungry." Kazran countered without missing a beat.

The Doctor's face softened completely, now that he knew for certain that he was in sympathetic company, but there was a hint of grimness to his expression as he explained gently: "I'm sorry, Kazran. I can't save her."

Kazran buried his head into Lily's embrace, and she hugged the poor boy as the Doctor continued softly: "I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip."

He looked back at the shark, his own gaze mournful as he murmured dejectedly: "We need a fully functioning life-support."

Kazran lifted his head at that, and he looked at the Doctor as he asked: "You mean like an icebox?"

Lily looked down at the boy in surprise as he looked up at her and said: "Okay."

"You have an icebox big enough for a shark?" Lily asked incredulously while the Doctor also looked over in complete surprise.

Kazran just nodded, and he said: "Yeah, follow me."


	43. 14-3 Young Love

The trio ran down the stairs and into the main room, Kazran leading the way through the mansion as they rushed to save the shark.

The boy had just paused by the bookcases on the side of the main room, grabbing a lamp as he readied to lead them further down, when the Doctor dashed across the room to the Christmas tree standing in the corner of the room, murmuring: "Ooo, tree; a tree!"

He examined the tree briefly, when Lily called: "Doctor."

He looked over, before hurrying to follow Lily and Kazran as the boy lead the way across the room and down into the basement.

Lily shivered as the temperature dropped the further they went down, and the Doctor quickly handed her his tweed jacket as Kazran led them into the basement. Lily took the jacket gratefully as they stepped out into the icy basement that was literally covered in layers of thin ice.

The Doctor and Lily moved to the heavy, vault-like door that blocked off the rest of the basement, both peering through the circular looking-glass in the middle of the door. Lily sucked in a sharp breath of surprise as she and the Doctor found themselves staring into a cryovault filled with a rows upon rows of cryotubes.

"What is this?" The Doctor asked, while Kazran tried to turn the wheel on the vault door.

"The surplus population." Kazran explained as the Doctor and Lily helped the boy try to turn the wheel to open the door. "That's what my Dad calls it."

"It's locked." Lily groaned, giving up on the wheel, while the Doctor noticed the keypad on the wall to the left of the door.

He tried to sonic the keypad, but with only half a screwdriver, it wasn't working.

"Ah, what's the number?" He called, and Kazran looked over as he said helplessly: "I don't know."

"This place is full of alarms." The Doctor groaned as he tried pressing random numbers on the keypad. "It's not just the door. I need the number."

He tried to turn the wheel on the door again, but it didn't even budge, and the Doctor repeated with a groan: "I need the number."

"I'm not allowed to know until I'm older!" Kazran exclaimed, stressed by the pressure of trying to save the shark.

"Ah!" The Doctor ran off, leaving a completely bewildered Kazran while Lily pulled the jacket tighter over her body.

"Where's he going?" Kazran asked Lily, and she explained: "To retrieve the number."

"How?" Kazran asked, and Lily answered mysteriously: "You'll know when you're older."

Kazran frowned, confused, but the Doctor came running back down the stairs at that moment, caling: "Seven two five eight!"

"Seven two five eight." Lily repeated as she pressed the number into the keypad and Kazran started turning the wheel. The Doctor joined the boy as they spun the wheel quickly, unlocking the door.

The, Kazran and Lily heaved the door open now that they could, before Kazran led the way into the cryovault.

"Ah, there's fish down here, too." The Doctor noted as he spotted the small fish swimming about low on the ground.

"Yeah, but only tiny ones." Kazran explained as he hurried down the rows of cryotubes. "The house is built on a fog lake, that's how Dad freezes the people. They're all full, but… we could borrow one."

He paused in front of a particular one, and after peering in through the looking glass to see who was inside, Kazran nodded and he said: "Yeah, this one."

He pointed, and both the Doctor and Lily looked. Lily noted absently that their was some kind of combination-lock-like dial on the front of the cryotube, which read: '000 008', but she focused more on the inside where she could see a young, blonde woman held in frozen suspense.

The same woman that had been inside the cryotube in older Kazran's main room.

"Hello again." The Doctor murmured, while Lily tilted her head curiously as she looked from the woman to Kazran.

"You know her? " Kazran asked, and Lily asked Kazran: "Why her, though?"

"Important, is she?" The Doctor added, a curious note in his voice as he glanced down at Kazran.

The boy bit his lip, looking away awkwardly as he answered: "She won't mind. She loves the fish."

He pressed a few buttons on the keypad on the side of the cryotube, and a hologram recording appeared on the looking glass.

"My name is Abigail Pettigrew," the hologram woman – who was the same woman inside the cryotube – said, "and I'm very grateful for Mr. Sardick's kindness. My father…"

"She starts to talk about the fish in a minute." Kazran explained in a whisper, and the Doctor and Lily listened intently as Abigail continued: "But I would not allow it."

The Doctor frowned and – taking the lamp from Kazran – he wandered further into the vault, peering at the different people inside each cryotube while Abigail continued: "I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mr. Elliot Sardick."

Lily frowned slightly, and she looked around at all the crytoubes as Abigail continued: "But I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish."

"Kazran… _why_ are these people here?" Lily asked the boy carefully, and he looked away from Abigail to stare at Lily in surprise as Abigail continued: "They dash beneath the light as they dart through the fog."

The Doctor had also turned to look back at Kazran, the same question on his mind, and both he and Lily frowned as Kazran explained: "My dad lends money. He always takes a family member as… he calls it 'security'."

Lily and the Doctor looked around at the hundreds of cryotubes surrounding them, and the Doctor commented dryly: "Hard man to love, your dad. But I suppose you know that."

Kazran glanced at him, before turning away and pressing some more buttons on the cryotube keypad, ending the recording.

The Doctor's sonic suddenly began beeping, and both Kazran and Lily looked over at the Time Lord – the former curiously while the latter in alarm.

"What's wrong?" Kazran asked while Lily looked around the room quickly, as the Doctor explained to Kazran lightly: "Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself. It's signalling the other half."

Lily's face blanched as another beeping sound sounded inside the vault, and she nudged Kazran quickly to follow her as she moved to stand beside the Doctor quickly while the Time Lord slowly lowered his sonic.

Kazran picked up on the two adults' tension, and he said slowly as he also listened to the dual beeping: "The other half's inside the shark."

"Yeah? Sounds like she's woken up." The Doctor answered as they all slowly turned to look towards where they had come down through the vault earlier.

"Okay," the Doctor muttered, "so it's homing on the screwdriver."

Lily shrieked as the shark appeared around the corner of the rows of cryotubes, the giant 'fish' snapping its jaws as it reared up over them.

"Run!" The Doctor ordered, and Lily grabbed Kazran and dove to the right with the boy in her arms.

The Doctor meanwhile dove to the left as the shark charged at them, and the beast went through the middle as it leapt at the now-empty space.

"Run!" Lily ordered as she pulled Kazran up, and they ran for their lives away from the shark although they also lost the Doctor along the way.

She and Kazran dashed down the various rows of cryotubes, before Lily tugged Kazran as she spotted a small corner where they could hide from the shark.

"Sh." She ordered, and they waited tensely as they heard the shark growling lowly somewhere nearby.

Lily's heart was hammering in her chest, but she kept a tight hold on the boy as she kept him carefully shielded inside her arms.

"I'm scared." Kazran whispered, and Lily patted his back soothingly though she tensed as she heard the shark's breathing coming closer.

Suddenly, someone began singing operatically inside the cryovault, the woman's voice echoing around the entire room.

" _In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan._ "

"What…?" Lily began, frowning in confusion, when Kazran slowly stood up. "Kazran!"

"No, sh!" The boy hissed.

Lily stood up slowly beside the boy as he explained in a quiet voice: "The fish like the singing."

Lily's confusion deepened, but she listened and walked slowly out with Kazran as they made their way carefully towards the source of the singing.

Lily was surprise – though Kazran didn't seem to be – as they made their way back from where they came, coming upon Abigail's cryotube. Except, the door was now unlocked and slightly ajar, and Abigail was gone.

Lily and Kazran exchanged looks before slowly making their way further down towards the source of the singing, turning a corner amongst the rows of cryotubes to see Abigail kneeling on the ground, singing as the shark lay calmly beside her while Abigail stroked it.

Lily and Kazran watched the sight in silent awe, before Lily looked back as she heard a clatter behind her.

The Doctor appeared from between the cryotubes, having also followed the singing, and his face lit up first in relief and then in surprise as he too saw the sight before them.

"You're all right?" The Doctor checked, hurrying over to hug Lily and also giving her a once over to make sure she wasn't hurt.

Lily nodded, gesturing for the Doctor to be quiet as Abigail continued to sing.

The Doctor turned to look at the scene as well, and he noted aloud to Lily and Kazran: "It's not really the singing, of course."

"Yes, it is." Kazran insisted in a hushed tone, but the Doctor dismissed: "Nah."

Lily raised a brow, while Kazran insisted: "The fish love the singing. It's true."

"Nah." The Doctor answered. "The notes resonate in the ice crystals, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog. Ow."

He smacked his neck while Lily shook his head as the Doctor looked around accusingly, saying crossly: "A fish bit me."

"Shut up, then." Kazran scolded, before looking back at Abigail as she continued to sing.

They listened in silence for another beat, before the Doctor rambled again suddenly: "Of course. That's how the machine controls the cloud belt."

Lily gave him a disapproving look that the Doctor missed as he continued thoughtfully: "The clouds are ice crystals. If you vibrate the crystals at exactly the right frequency, you could align them into- ow!"

He smacked the back of his neck again, and he asked incredulously: "Why do they keep biting me?"

"Maybe because you're disrupting the 'delta wave pattern'." Lily commented dryly, while Kazran scolded the Doctor: "Look, the fish like the singing, okay?"

The boy pointed at the Doctor as he ordered: "Now _shut up_."

Kazran turned back to Abigail, missing the Doctor raising his own finger to point at the boy. The Doctor mouthed a few times, unable to come up with an actual counterargument, before he said crossly: "Okay."

Lily smiled, shaking her head as the Doctor turned away sulkily. Taking his hand in hers, she leant her head against his shoulder, her smile widening when the Doctor pressed his cheek against her head with a sigh as they watched the scene before them in content – and appeased - silence.

* * *

A few moments later, Kazran and Abigail gaped while the Doctor ensured that the shark was snug inside Abigail's cryotube.

"It's bigger on the inside." Kazran whispered, staring inside the Tardis with Abigail, and Lily chuckled as she moved away from the console while the Doctor said sarcastically from outside: "Yeah, it's the colour. Really knocks the walls back."

He pushed Kazran and Abigal aside as he pushed the cryotube passed them into the Tardis, calling lightly: "Shark in a box, to go."

Kazran and Abigail beamed, hurrying inside the Tardis after the Doctor. The Doctor himself had dashed up beside Lily, helping her as she took them off once more.

Kazran and Abigail were looking around with wide eyes, and Abigail exclaimed excitedly as she and Kazran wandered towards the console: "This is amazing."

"Nah, this is transport." The Doctor answered as the Tardis wheezed. "I keep amazing…" he ran off back towards the Tardis doors, "out here."

He opened the door, just as Kazran and Abigail joined him in the doorway. Lily finished setting the Tardis steady before she went to stand beside the Doctor, also looking out with the others with a smile.

They were in the middle of the cloud belt, staring out at the many shoals of dish swimming about in the sky. Kazran and Abigail seemed unable to even breathe let alone speak, but Lily murmured softly: "This is definitely amazing."

The Doctor smiled, and kissed the top of Lily's head before he turned around and dashed back over to the cryotube just inside the doorway.

"Come on, then. Let's get this shark out." He called, and Lily moved to help him as the Doctor pressed the keys on the keypad to open the cryotube.

Kazran and Abigail remained in the doorway, the latter staring out with wide-eyed wonder at the fish. Kazran, meanwhile, was glancing at Abigail, and - when the blonde wasn't looking - he pulled out a small pocket camera from his dressing gown and snapped a quick photograph of the entranced young woman, himself captivated.

Lily and the Doctor noticed and exchanged quick grins, but they didn't say anything as they moved the cryotube to the doorway just as it opened. They let out the shark back into the cloud belt, before watching with wide smiles as the shark swam away.

"Hey, look at her go." Kazran cheered as the shark swam away, while the Doctor moved the cryotube back inside and shut it once more.

He paused as he finally noticed the numbers on the front, and he asked as Abigail wandered over: "Abigail, this number. What does it mean?"

The young woman glanced at the number, 000 008, and she explained with a slightly pained look: "It pertains to me, sir, not the fish."

"Yeah, but how?" The Doctor asked, glancing up at the young woman, but Abigail frowned slightly as she examined the Doctor.

"You are a doctor, you say?" She inquired. "Are you one of mine?"

"Do you need a doctor?" The Doctor countered, staring at Abigail thoughtfully, just as Lily came over as well.

She caught the last part of their conversation, and the brunette looked curiously between Abigail, the Doctor, and then down at the cryotube. Lily's eyes narrowed slightly in thought, but they were interrupted as a microwave ding sounded from the console.

"Ah!" The Doctor called as he ran back to the console while Lily looked from Abigail to the cryotube thoughtfully. "Sorry. Time's up, kids."

"Why?" Kazran whined as he turned back into the Tardis at last after spending the entire time watching the fish.

"It's nearly Christmas Day." The Doctor explained, and Kazran pouted but nodded.

* * *

Back inside the cryovault, Lily stood beside the Doctor while Kazran stood by Abigail's open cryovault door as the young woman stepped back inside.

"If you should ever wish to visit again…" Abigail began, smiling warmly at them, and the Doctor said lightly: "Well, you know… if Lily and I are ever in the neighbourhood-"

"They come every Christmas Eve." Kazran piped up, and both the Doctor and Lily looked at the boy in surprise.

"What?" The Doctor asked, but Kazran continued firmly as he looked at Abigail: "Yeah, they do. Every time; the Doctor promises."

"No, I don't-" The Doctor began, but Kazran had already shut the door on Abigail's cryotube.

"Oh, Doctor." Lily laughed as the Doctor gaped at the smug little boy as Kazran grinned up at them. "I think you've finally met your match, Mr. 'mature and responsible adult'."

* * *

The next year for Kazran, but only one stop later for the Doctor and Lily, the trio opened up Abigail's cryotube once more.

"Merry Christmas!" They greeted with wide smiles, all three wearing fur-trimmed red hats, and the blonde young woman beamed back at them.

"Doctor! Lily! Kazran!" She cried delightedly. "What are we going to do?"

"The Doctor's got a great plan, and don't worry, Lily's watching out for us so it'll be safe." Kazran answered excitedly as they all ran out of the vault. "Wait till you hear!"

Missing the way the numbers on Abigail's cryotube clicked down to now read: 000 007.

* * *

"You are out of your mind." Abigail exclaimed as the Doctor set up a carriage though with nothing to pull it yet. "This will never work."

"Oh, don't ever say that to him." Lily chuckled as Kazran watched excitedly.

"Don't think shark." The Doctor agreed as he lifted Kazran onto the carriage. "Think dolphin!"

"A shark isn't a dolphin." Abigail protested, and the Doctor shrugged as Lily handed him his half-of-a-sonic.

"It's nearly a dolphin." The Doctor said lightly as he moved to stare up at the sky, and Abigail insisted: "No, it isn't."

"It really isn't." Lily added, and the Doctor turned to her.

"That's where you're wrong," the Doctor replied as he pointed his sonic up at the sky, "because…"

He trailed off, unable to actually come up with an argument, and as Lily lifted an amused brow he muttered: "Shut up."

Lily laughed, while Kazran noted from the carriage: "It could be anywhere. Will it really come?"

"No chance." The Doctor answered lightly. "Completely impossible."

"Except at Christmas." Lily finished with a smile as they heard the familiar ding of the sonic's honing system, and Kazran beamed at her.

* * *

Moments later, the four were flying through the clouds in their carriage, the Doctor driving the shark they'd reigned up to the carriage.

"How are we going to get back?" Kazran called, and the Doctor laughed: "I don't know!"

"Do you have a plan?" Abigail asked loudly over the sound of the wind whipping around them, and Lily laughed back: "Oh, he doesn't ever have plans! But, don't worry; he always has a thing."

"What thing?" Kazran asked, and the Doctor declared with a whoop: "A thing in progress!"

They dove down to fly above and between and around rooftops, surprising the citizens of Sardickville and causing general delight to the children and to the passengers inside the carriage.

* * *

Just before Midnight on Christmas day, they returned to the cryovault, and Abigail gushed as she settled back inside her cryotube: "Best Christmas Eve ever."

"Till the next one." Kazran answered with a wide smile, before he closed the door as he, the Doctor, and Lily all waved goodbye to Abigail for the year.

* * *

And so, it continued for the next six years for Kazran and roughly six hours for the Doctor and Lily.

They would wake up Abigail on Christmas Eve, and spend a joyful night filled with adventures and fun – especially for the young pair – before returning Abigail to her cryotube and saying goodbye for the day.

Kazran would then say goodbye to the Doctor and Lily, who took off in the Tardis to land the next year on Christmas Eve. They made it every year on time, too – because Lily drove – and it was always an exciting time for all of them. Well, especially Kazran and Abigail.

It was highly amusing and somewhat heartwarming to the Doctor and Lily as they watched Abigail and Kazran fall in love. The boy had always been smitten with the young woman, but it had taken until Kazran himself was a teenaged boy for Abigail to finally admit to her own feelings for him.

That had been three Christmases ago, after they had spent a lovely Christmas Eve dinner with Abigail's sister – and since then, the two couples had spent Christmas Eve going on 'double dates' throughout various locations in different time periods. Though, each time Lily felt a small stab as she thought about Amy and Rory – who they normally did double date-adventures with – still trapped and about to crash in Kazran's future.

And that wasn't the only thing. There had been something distinctly odd about Abigail – and laater Kazran as well – this Christmas Eve. Although, Lily had to admit, she was starting to feel tired by the seventh Christmas Eve, after having not slept in almost twenty hours. Maybe that was making her think something was wrong between the younger couple.

"Maybe we can take a rest after this one." She told the Doctor as they waited for Kazran and Abigail to say goodbye – aka snog - again. "I think I need some sleep."

The Doctor glanced at her, looking her up and down, before he agreed: "Well, I suppose it _has_ been a long day for you."

"I know what you were just thinking.' Lily warned lightly. "You were thinking I'm probably getting older and needing more sleep."

"No." The Doctor said quickly, and Lily smiled slightly. Her _age_ was a rather touchy subject, considering she was already 24, and almost a quarter of the way through her life expectancy. While the Doctor could live for who knew how many more _centuries_ , let alone decades.

However, that wasn't exactly what Lily had been thinking about when she'd mentioned wanting to rest. Perhaps she should just tell him now, after all…

Lily looked over as she heard the cryotube door close, and she frowned as she thought she saw Kazran fight a sob while he stood staring at Abigail through the cryotube looking glass.

The Doctor didn't notice anything wrong as he called, walking over to Kazran: "There we go. Another day, another Christmas Eve. I'll see you in a minute, eh?"

He patted Kazran's back, before correcting quickly: "I mean, a year."

"Kazran, what's wrong?" Lily interrupted, touching Kazran's shoulder gently.

It still boggled her how he was now taller than her; after all, he had been a child when they'd met, and yet now here he stood, a tall nineteen-year-old young man. But she could never forget the sweet little boy, and despite the fact that Kazran was now almost the same age as her, she still felt more motherly over him. Although, perhaps that was more due to her own current state than Kazran's.

Still, Lily was worried for the young man, concerned by his clearly shaken emotional state, and as Kazran didn't answer right away, she asked again: "Kazran?"

"Lily, do you and the Doctor think we can just leave it?" Kazran asked at last, and Lily frowned while the Doctor slowly turned back to Kazran.

"Sorry, leave what?" The Doctor asked, confused, and Kazran said without quite meeting Lily's eyes though he looked right at the Doctor: "Oh, you know, this. Every Christmas Eve. It's getting a bit old."

"Old?" The Doctor repeated, blinking, and Kazran continued with a shrug: "Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it? I've got some work with my dad now. I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control."

Lily's frown deepened at that, and she interrupted as she touched Kazran's shoulder again: "Kazran, what's _really_ wrong?"

The young man pulled his shoulder away from her touch, surprising Lily. But not as much as his next words as he snapped at her: "You treating me like a kid, for one. I'm not a child anymore, and I think it's time you accepted that. You're not my mother, _Lily_ – you weren't even really my babysitter."

"Sorry… we didn't realize we were bothering you." The Doctor said slowly while Lily stared at Kazran, hurt and confusion warring on her face.

"Not your fault." Kazran replied stiffly. "Times change."

The Doctor examined Kazran intently as he murmured softly: "Not as much as I'd hoped."

He then addressed the young man again as he said, holding out his half-of-a-screwdriver: "Here. I'll be needing a new one, anyway."

He handed the screwdriver over to Kazran, saying firmly: "Merry Christmas. And if you ever need me or Lily, just activate it. We'll hear you."

"I won't need you." Kazran answered flatly. "Either of you."

He started to walk away, when Lily said quietly: "Kazran…"

The young man stopped, his back to them, as Lily asked carefully: "What are you hiding from us?"

Kazran didn't answer, and the Doctor asked tentatively: "What about Abigail?"

"I know where to find her." Kazran answered with just the faintest tremble in his voice, gesturing to the cryovault in general, before he walked away.

Lily frowned again as she stared after the young man, while the Doctor said quietly, as though to himself: "Yeah…"


	44. 14-4 Last Christmas

Despite her exhaustion, Lily couldn't wait; and she and the Doctor returned to Kazran every year on Christmas Eve for the next ten years of Kazran's life.

However, the young man – after they returned that first year – closed his bedroom window curtains on them; and kept them closed every year after that.

After ten years, they gave up… and instead, went straight back to the future. Well, almost straight back.

* * *

Lily stood with the Doctor inside the cryovault once more, hidden from old Kazran's view.

The old man was arguing with the holographic images of Amy and Rory – acting as the ghosts of Christmas Present - as they tried to persuade the old man through the video call to help save them. But it wasn't working – Kazran didn't care anymore. He had stopped caring the day he'd shut Abigail inside the cryotube for the last time.

They watched as Kazran first confirmed Lily's suspicion about Abigail – _how_ they had missed the numbers counting down on the blonde woman's cryotube was beyond her, but Lily had finally realized there was something distinctly odd about Kazran sealing Abigail up every Christmas Eve. It had been at Abigail's insistence, and they hadn't questioned it (since the Doctor and Lily only wanted Kazran's Christmas Eve's to change until he was old enough to defy his father).

But, thinking back Lily had realized the request had been rather odd; and paired together with her sorrowful goodbye with Kazran at the end and Kazran's won strange behaviour, Lily had worked it out.

The Doctor had agreed with her conclusion, but they still waited to hear it come from Kazran's lips: that Abigail was ill, and she had only had eight days to live when she had gone into her cryotube. Eight days – and she'd used up seven of them every Christmas Eve with them.

They watched, hoping Kazran would be moved to help the ship if he saw through the hologram exactly what the people on board were going through, but Kazran was unmoved as he stated flatly: "Everybody has to die."

"Not tonight." Amy insisted, but Kazran snapped: "Tonight's as good as any other. How do you choose?"

"Doctor?" Amy called through her communication device.

"Yeah?" He answered calmly, and Amy demanded with barely concealed incredulity and anger: "Are you hearing this?"

"I can hear." He confirmed, and Kazran asked: "He's here? Where is he? Doctor? Lily? Doctor!"

Kazran's view of the hologram must have cut off, because his eyes suddenly and finally landed on the Doctor and Lily standing nearby the cryotubes on the other side from Abigail's.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor apologised softly as the elderly Kazran's eyes filled with tears as he stared at them. "I didn't realize sooner."

Lily's heart clenched as Kazran accused: "All my life, I've been called heartless. My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote. Now look at me."

He turned to stare at Abigail through the looking-glass of her cryotube mournfully, and the Doctor murmured gently: "Better a broken heart than no heart at all."

"Oh, try it." Kazran snarled, glaring at the Doctor. "You try it – you, with your pretty wife, what do you know of a broken heart?

"He knows more than you do, Kazran." Lily answered calmly, before nodding at the Doctor. "Go on – tell him. Tell him about _you_."

Kazran continued to glare at them, but he blinked in surprise as the Doctor began softly: "I've been married before."

"What?" Kazran asked, frowning deeply, but the Doctor continued: "I also had children. They were beautiful, at least to me, and sweet when they wanted to be."

His voice wavered, and Lily took his hand tightly in her own. The Doctor squeezed it for comfort, while Kazran asked slowly as he sensed a terrible answer to his question: "What happened to them?"

"They died." The Doctor replied flatly. "They all died. Along with the rest of the planet that I come from."

Kazran paused, staring at the Doctor and then Lily. The brunette woman was looking at him imploringly but with that same softness in her hazel eyes that he had been accustomed to seeing every Christmas Eve throughout his teenage years. The look his mother might have had for him, had she still been alive.

Kazran looked back at the Doctor, who for once had allowed all his guards to drop – at least partially – to reveal the loss and pain that clearly still rubbed raw. And Kazran wondered how he had missed how _old_ the Doctor's green eyes were. Possibly, it had been because he'd been so smitten with Abigail that he hadn't noticed the Doctor's age that was somehow only revealed through his eyes; or he'd missed it because the Doctor had usually worn such a bright smile for him every Christmas Eve.

Every Christmas Eve, except for that last one.

"Why are you here?" Kazran asked, his heart hardening once more as he recalled the bitter heartache that had begun that night and plagued him every day since.

"We're not going to leave you here in pain, alone." Lily answered firmly. "And despite what you think now, I know _you_ won't be able to sleep from tonight onwards if you have those people's death on your conscious."

"You've seen the past, the present…" The Doctor continued. "And now you need to see the future."

"What future?" Kazran asked bitterly. "I'll die cold, alone and afraid, regardless of what I do today. What difference does showing me make?"

Lily and the Doctor didn't answer, and Kazran continued resentfully: "Do you know _why_ it doesn't matter if I let those people die? I don't get anything from it. It's just that I _don't_ care."

He glared at the couple before him, walking towards them. The Doctor walked forward a few steps as well, folding his arms as he listened without a word, while Kazran went on vehemently: "I'm not like _you_. I don't even want to _be_ like you. I don't and never, _ever_ will care."

"We don't believe that." Lily answered softly from where she still stood by the cryotubes, and Kazran sneered: "Then show me the future. Prove me wrong."

"We _are_ showing it to you." The Doctor answered quietly as he stared Kazran in the eye. "We're showing it to you right now."

Kazran frowned, confused, while the Doctor asked loudly: "So what do you think?"

He turned to look at Lily, except it wasn't Lily.

Kazran stared, his own mouth falling open slightly, to where Lily had stepped aside to reveal the young, twelve-year-old Kazran in his dressing gown, who was staring at his future with an ashen expression.

"Is this who you want to become, Kazran?" The Doctor asked the boy, while Kazran stared at Kazran.

The young Kazran slowly walked forwards, staring up at his future, while old Kazran also walked hesitantly forward as he stared at his younger self in complete shock. Lily walked over to stand beside the Doctor as they watched the two Kazran's face each other, both looking aghast though for different reasons.

"Dad?" Young Kazran asked at last, unable to believe this was his future.

Old Kazran reacted violently to that, and he tossed aside his walking cane as he lifted his hand high to hit the young boy. Lily started forward slightly in alarm, but the Doctor held her back and she stilled as her brain kicked in and reminded her that Kazran needed to work this out on his own.

She and the Doctor watched as old Kazran froze, his hand still lifted high as he stared down at his younger self, while his younger self looked up at him with tearful and fearful eyes. And as the tears slipped down his younger self's cheeks, older Kazran broke down, crying as well.

"I'm sorry." Older Kazran wept, reaching down towards his younger self. "I'm so, so sorry."

Young Kazran backed away a step towards Lily, terrified and seeking shelter, but he stopped as older Kazran choked through his tears: "It's okay, don't be frightened."

Both Kazrans cried as older Kazran hugged his younger self, gasping out between his tears: "I'm, I'm so, so, so…"

He couldn't finish, just crying as his younger self hugged him back, and the Doctor and Lily exchanged looks. She nodded, and the Doctor stepped forward slowly, walking towards the weeping pair.

"Kazran." The Doctor said softly, and as the pair looked over at him, the Doctor said seriously: "We don't have much time."

* * *

The Doctor called the spaceship from the mainroom, saying as he tried to get a signal through: "Hello? Hello?"

"Amy!" Lily called in delight as they got the signal through. "Rory!"

"Lily!" Rory beamed, while the Doctor called: "Hello, everyone. Prepare to lock on to my signal."

"Wait, what's happening?" Amy asked, and the Doctor replied with a wave: "I just saved Christmas. Don't go away."

He cut the signal, and he and Lily turned to where old Kazran was twirling dials and knobs on his father's machine as young Kazran watched.

"We good to go, then?" The Doctor asked, but old Kazran answered worriedly: "The controls, they won't respond."

Lily frowned, while the Doctor countered: "Of course they will. They're isomorphic. They're tuned to your brainwaves. They'll only respond to you."

"They won't respond." Kazran insisted, as nothing happened no matter what he tried, and the Doctor frowned as he argued: "That doesn't make sense."

Lily meanwhile felt dread creeping down her back, and she turned to the Doctor as he continued to say: "That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't-?"

"Because we changed Kazran." Lily interrupted, grabbing the Doctor's arm urgently. "The Ghost of Christmas, and we changed who Kazran was."

The Doctor's mouth fell open, while the two Kazran's also stared.

"Oh, stupid, stupid Doctor." The Doctor groaned, while old Kazran argued: "But my father programmed it."

"No, your father would never have programmed it for the man you are now." The Doctor answered as he looked at old Kazran. "The machine doesn't recognise you _now_."

"Then what do we do?" The old Kazran asked, and the Doctor paced about the room as he muttered: "Er, er, I don't know. I don't know."

"There must be something." Young Kazran said desperately, looking from the Doctor to Lily to his future self.

Old Kazran suddenly remembered something, and he reached into his pocket as he said: "This!"

He held up half of the sonic as he suggested: "You can use this. I kept it, see?"'

"What, half a screwdriver?" The Doctor scoffed, but Lily paused.

An idea hit her, and she gasped as she grabbed the Doctor's arm: "Doctor!"

He stared at her with wide eyes, clearly having had the same idea as her, and the Doctor said as he stared into Lily's bright eyes: "With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark, right in the heart of the cloud layer."

"If we use the aerial to boost the signal-" Lily said excitedly, and the Doctor finished: "-And set up a resonation pattern between the two halves. Ooo, come on, that would work."

He turned back to the two Kazrans as he said, taking the half-of-the-screwdriver: "My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet."

He pointed at old Kazran, before pointing at young Kazran as he went on: "Coolest two bits. It could do it."

He looked at Lily, who nodded, as excited as he was.

"Do what?" Old Kazran asked, confused, and Lily explained to him and young Kazran: "Well, my screwdriver is still trying to repair. It's signalling itself. We use the signal, but we send something else."

"Send what?" Young Kazran asked, and that was when Lily and the Doctor stopped short.

"Oh…" Lily murmured, hanging her head. She hadn't thought this far, too excited by the prospect that the sonic might work – and apparently, neither had the Doctor.

He turned to face older Kazran slowly as the elderly man asked impatiently: "Well, what? What?"

"I'm sorry, Kazran." The Doctor said softly. "I truly am."

"I don't understand." Old Kazran said, frowning in confusion, and the Doctor explained: "We need to transmit something into the cloud belt. Something we know works."

Kazran continued to look confused, so Lily explained gently: "We need her to sing."

Surprise and then pained understanding passed over old Kazran's face as he looked down at his younger counterpart.

* * *

The four of them stood before Abigail's cryotube once more, as the Doctor explained: "Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals. It calmed the shark. It will calm the sky, too."

"Could you do it?" Old Kazran asked without looking away from Abigail, the cryotube already defrosting but Kazran unable to open the door. "Could you do this?"

Neither the Doctor nor Lily answered, the latter hugging young Kazran this time for comfort.

Young Kazran gave it willingly, hugging her reassuringly as Kazran addressed the Doctor as he said: "Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved – with Lily."

He looked at the Doctor, then, as he asked: "Which day would you choose?"

The Doctor couldn't meet the man's gaze. He knew full well what he was asking of Kazran, and he knew too well the pain of losing the woman you loved. That Kazran knew this could only be his last day, however…

The cryotube door creaked open, and Lily lifted her gaze to watch as Abigail stepped out of her defrosted cryotube.

"Christmas." Abigail answered as she looked at old Kazran tearfully. "Christmas Day."

As old Kazran took a shuddering breath, Abigail whispered: "Look at you. You're so old now."

She touched her hand to his cheek, gazing up at him lovingly as old Kazran gave a small smile back to her.

"I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?" Abigail asked, smiling though she couldn't hold back the small quiver in her voice, and old Kazran whispered: "I'm sorry."

"Hoarding my days, like an old miser." Abigail teased, and old Kazran laughed slightly.

His smile dropped quickly, however, as he whispered: "But, if you leave the ice now…"

"We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran." Abigail answered as she gazed at her beloved with tear-filled but loving eyes. "I think it's time for Christmas Day."

"Yes." Old Kazran murmured, while Lily hugged younger Kazran and the Doctor hugged them both.

* * *

" _When you're alone, silence is all you know._ "

Lily listened with tears in her eyes as Abigail sang into the Doctor's half-screwdriver.

The Time Lord had hooked up the screwdriver into Kazran's machine, and the five now stood outside the mansion, staring up at the sky as Abigail sang her song.

" _When you're alone, silence is all you see. When you're alone, silence is all you'll be._ "

Young Kazran held onto Lily's hand as he stood in front of her, the pair watching silently, as the Doctor and old Kazran hovered around Abigail, the former working to make sure the signal was working and the latter… because he loved Abigail.

"Well? Well?" Old Kazran asked anxiously, and the Doctor answered as he finished up: "Well, the singing resonates in the crystals."

Abigail continued to sing as the Doctor continued: "It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver. Now, one song, filling the sky. The crystals will align and I'll feed in a controlled phase loop, and the clouds will unlock."

Lily and younger Kazran came closer, the latter asking: "What does that mean, unlock? What happens when a cloud unlocks?"

"Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now." The Doctor answered, and young Kazran frowned but he looked up as it began to snow.

Together, they all looked up at the sky as the first snow fell, and the Doctor took Lily's hand in his own as Abigail continued to sing.

" _When you are here, music is all around. When you are near, music is all around. Open your eyes, don't make a sound._ "

As Old Kazran stood staring lovingly at Abigail, who gazed back at him as she continued to sing, the townsfolk made their way out onto the streets, gasping incredulously and joyously at the snow falling thicker now around them.

Lily patted young Kazran's shoulder, and together they with the Doctor moved back towards the Tardis, when a familiar dinging noise sounded up above.

They looked up to see the large shadow of the shark flying overhead, and old Kazran commented: "Hello, my old friend."

He and Abigail smiled, before looking back at each other, and the Doctor nudged Kazran.

"Let's go." He murmured, and young Kazran nodded.

They headed inside, though the Doctor and Lily paused to look one last time at Kazran and Abigail.

"Merry Christmas, Kazran, Abigail." Lily murmured, before she and the Doctor disappeared into the Tardis.

They took off quickly, taking young Kazran back to his time, and missing as old Kazran and Abigail looked over to watch the Tardis dematerialize with surprise and then content acceptance.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily stood beside the snowman they had built, and Lily laughed as the Doctor rubbed noses with the snowman.

"You know," a familiar Scottish accent called, "that could almost be mistaken for a real person."

Lily turned to greet the redhead and her husband as Amy and Rory came over, while Amy added teasingly: "The snowman isn't bad, either."

Lily however, raised a brow as she looked her friends up and down while the Doctor said as he continued to admire his handiwork with the snowman: "Ah, yes, you two. About time."

"Why are you dressed like that?" Lily asked, gesturing at Amy's policewoman outfit and Rory's Roman one.

The Doctor looked over at that, and he also frowned in confusion, while Rory answered awkwardly: "Er, kind of lost our luggage. Kind of crash landed?"

Lily held back a laugh while the Doctor asked: "Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?"

"Yeah, they really love their snowmen around here, don't they?" Amy answered, pointedly changing topics. "I've counted about twenty."

"Yeah." The Doctor said with a raised brow, before he smiled at the Ponds. "It's good to see you two."

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." Amy agreed, before she hugged Lily. "Thank you."

She hugged the Doctor next, while Lily hugged Rory, as the Doctor answered: "Pleasure."

He gestured back towards the Tardis as he added: "Right, come on then, let's go. You two can try a different honeymoon location, while I enjoy a nice quiet evening with my wife."

"You? Quiet?" Amy snorted, and the Doctor answered lightly: "Oi! I was doing fine until you two got caught in a cloud belt."

Lily and Rory chuckled while Amy pulled a face, saying as she entered the Tardis: "Well, you can thank me for making your life interesting then. Come on, Rory – I think we need to let these two have their 'quiet' time first."

"Your Queen calls." Lily teased, and Rory answered as he followed Amy into the Tardis: "She is _not_ my Queen."

He paused, before adding: "Okay, maybe she is just a little, but don't tell her I said that."

Lily laughed as Rory disappeared inside the Tardis as well, before she turned to the Doctor.

"Well?" She asked, and he answered a little too quickly: "Well, what?"

She nodded up at the sky as she noted: "They seem like they're enjoying their last small trip together."

The Doctor smiled, and he nodded.

"Christmas trip." He agreed, and Lily nodded: "Christmas trip."

They both looked up at the sky for a moment, and the Doctor murmured: "Halfway out of the dark."

They stood for a moment in companionable silence, before the Doctor noted: "Well, now Amy and Rory have probably made it to their bedroom."

"Jealous?" Lily teased, and the Doctor joked back: "Will I be?"

"Well, I'm not quite tired yet." Lily answered lightly. "And this would be such a waste."

She gestured down at her red Christmas dress, and the Doctor smiled.

"Christmas dinner?" The Doctor suggested, and Lily grinned.

"Christmas dinner." She agreed, before adding mysteriously: "And I have to give you your present."

"I thought we agreed no presents." The Doctor beamed, before adding before Lily could reply: "Though I prepared something for you, too, anyway."

"You really shouldn't have; I didn't really prepare mine per se..." Lily laughed, though she sounded just a little nervous.

The Doctor cocked his head, catching the tone, and Lily just smiled.

"Wait and see." She said, poking the Doctor good-naturedly. "It's… quite the surprise."

He raised a brow, but Lily just shook her head, saying with a small smile: "I'll show you later. And you might want to be sitting down."


	45. 15 Space and Time

The Doctor whistled as he worked, lying back on a small roller as he plugged pipes and things into the underside of the Tardis console. Lily stood above him, reaching down to hand him tools while she twirled dials and maintained a steady level on the Tardis's controls.

"Hey." Amy called as she walked over to the pair on the elevated console level.

"Hey." The Doctor answered, barely giving her a look, while Lily smiled and nodded at Amy, also echoing: "Hey."

"Listen." Amy said nervously, and Lily tipped her head curiously. "Can we talk?"

"Of course we can, Amy." Lily answered, confused but willing to listen and help in any way she could. "What's the matter?"

"Lily, love, can you hand me the lacotronometer, please?" The Doctor piped up from under the console, and Lily held out the tool for him while Amy rolled her eyes.

The redhead bent down to grab the Doctor's shoulder under the console, pulling him forcefully out to face her as she insisted: "Can I talk to _both_ of you?"

Lily's puzzled expression only grew more pronounced at that, while the Doctor blanched slightly and he yelled: "Rory!"

Amy grabbed the Doctor by his shirtfront in alarm as she hissed: "No; shut up. I've just got a question, that's all."

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, concerned, when Rory's voice drifted up from below: "You okay up there?"

"Yeah, fine, no problem." The Doctor answered, relaxing now that it appeared Amy wasn't about to corner him into something.

Amy, meanwhile, stood back up, staring down the glass floor at Rory.

"What are you doing?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips, and Rory looked up at her – his protective goggles still on – as he answered as though it were obvious: "Helping the Doctor. Um," he added as he pointed at the console, "it's humming. Is that okay?"

"Yes, it's okay." Lily answered, still glancing at Amy.

But the redhead appeared to either have forgotten about what she wanted to talk about, or didn't want to discuss it anymore, as she in turn glanced at the Doctor as the Time Lord explained: "We're just entering conceptual space. Imagine a banana, or anything curved."

It was Lily's turn to frown, but before she could say anything the Doctor added dismissively: "Actually, don't, since it's not curved or like a banana. Forget the banana!"

Lily shook her head fondly at the Doctor as he rolled back under the console, while Amy asked with a frown: "Er, is he helping you fly the Tardis?"

"Detach servo-couplings two, seven and eleven!" The Doctor called, ignoring Amy as he rolled out from under the console and stood up to call down to where Rory stood working. "Like I showed you."

"The Doctor wanted to rewire the Tardis again." Lily explained to Amy, fiddling absently with the pendant around her neck. "Rory wanted to help, so the Doctor agreed-"

"Um, no," Rory corrected from below, "you had to convince him to let me."

"Well, it all ended well and Rory's helping." Lily finished quickly, but Amy's pout didn't disappear as she complained: "How come he gets to have a go?"

She looked at the Doctor as she added pointedly: "You _never_ let me have a go."

Amy looked back at Lily as she continued accusingly: "And you don't ask him for _me_ , either!"

Lily grinned sheepishly, while Rory called up: "It's for a good reason. I told her about my car, remember."

The Doctor looked between them in confusion, and Lily explained: "Rory let Amy drive his car _once_."

"Yeah, to the end of the road." Amy scoffed, but Rory added sarcastically: "According to Amy, there was an unexpected house."

Lily nodded, before she snorted as Amy countered: "Aw, he's jealous because _I_ passed my test first time."

"You cheated." Rory argued. "You wore a skirt."

"I didn't wear a skirt." Amy replied smugly, but Lily reminded: "No, you told me you _did_ wear a skirt – and you recommended I wear one as well for my test."

The Doctor looked up from where he was working at that, brows raised, but Lily reminded pointedly: "Well, you weren't around at the time, remember, _Sweetie_?"

"I did it to protect you from the Metacrisis." The Doctor reminded, pouting, but Lily noted dryly: "Yes, but you didn't have to do it like that now, did you?"

The Doctor wrinkled his nose at her, though he conceded, while Rory snorted down below.

Amy turned their conversation back to their original argument as she insisted: "Okay, so I wore a skirt. But it was any old skirt."

"Have you seen Amy drive, Doctor?" Rory asked casually, and the Doctor called back: "No."

"Neither did her driving examiner." Rory explained, and Lily laughed: "Well, looks like you've got something in common with Amy after all, Doctor."

"They're both terrible drivers?" Rory joked, and the Doctor complained: "Oi!"

"No, they both look good in a skirt." Lily teased back, and the Doctor grabbed her, starting to tickle her as he said: "Oh, now you're going to get it."

"Hey, I am _not_ a bad driver." Amy added as she wandered along the console platform. "Though I won't say no to the comment about looking good in a skirt."

Rory started to look up, when Amy suddenly remembered as she looked down at her current outfit: "Oh, hang on - it was this one. I wore this skirt for my exam."

Suddenly, the whole Tardis tilted over. The Doctor, Lily, and Amy grabbed onto the console quickly, barely keeping themselves from falling over as the lights in the Tardis suddenly all went out when the engine abruptly shut down.

Lily and the Doctor looked up with wide eyes, and Lily whispered: "Oh, no…"

"Why?" Amy asked warily as she looked to her friends. "What was that?"

Lily just looked at her with horrified eyes, while the Doctor yelled urgently: "Rory? Did you drop a thermo-coupling?"

"… S-Sorry." Rory answered meekly, and the Doctor shouted: "Argh. How did you do that? I told you, don't drop them!"

The Doctor ran around the console as he cried in exasperation: "I specifically mentioned not dropping. "

Lily was pressing buttons quickly on the console, but she glanced up as Amy said sheepishly: "I-It was my fault."

"Of course it wasn't your fault." The Doctor answered dismissively, moving around Lily to pull levers and twirl dials, but Rory piped up from below: "It kind of was her fault."

"How could it be her fault?" The Doctor demanded, and Lily had to admit she was wondering the same thing – Amy had been up on the top level with them.

"Because," Amy explained sheepishly, "it was my skirt, and my husband, and your glass floor."

Lily blinked, and then blinked again, while the Doctor looked Amy up and down and then looked at the glass floor.

"Oh!" He realized. "Rory!"

"Sorry." Rory said weakly, while Lily shook her head.

"I don't believe this." She sighed, and Amy said defensively: "What about the time the Doctor almost sent us flying into a black hole because you two were snogging on the console?"

"Okay, let's not go into this." The Doctor said quickly, for once acting like the responsible adult.

He flipped another few switches as he continued: "We've landed now - emergency materialisation. Should be fine."

Lily nodded while Rory came back up onto the top level, removing his goggles as he rejoined them while the Doctor threw up the last lever as he finished: "Should have dropped off in the safest spot available."

The lights mercifully turned back on, and Lily initially took a deep breath in relief.

However, the moment passed as quickly as it came as both she and Amy noticed something standing proudly right in the centre of the console room entrance. The Doctor and Rory noticed their wives' preoccupations, and also looked over before they stilled momentarily upon seeing the very familiar blue box.

Slowly, the four made their way over to stand at the top of the stairway leading up to the console, looking down blankly at another Tardis sitting right there in the console room.

"Okay." Amy began, breaking the silence first. "What's happened?"

"Safest spot available." The Doctor answered flatly. "The Tardis has materialised inside itself."

He slowly started walking towards the other Tardis, while Rory asked carefully: "Is that _supposed_ to happen?"

"Take a guess." The Doctor answered, and Rory tried slowly: "No?"

"That's the one." The Doctor murmured as he came to a slow stop before the other Tardis.

Lily leant forward on the stairway railings, her pendant hanging freely, as the Doctor touched the other Tardis carefully, and Amy asked worriedly: "What are you doing?"

"Absolutely no idea." The Doctor murmured, before he suddenly opened the other Tardis door, going through it… only to walk back into the Tardis console room from their Tardis's door.

Lily's head dropped into her hands, while Amy commented: "Okay, that is a bit weird."

The Doctor meanwhile opened the Tardis door this time, sticking his hand through, and they all watched as his arm appeared out of the other Tardis door, his fingers wiggling at them.

"That is actually pretty cool." Rory grinned, amused, while the Doctor walked out of the Tardis door and back into the console room through the other Tardis door.

"Oh, I'm glad you're entertained, Rory," the Doctor snapped irritably as he walked back up to them, "now that we're stuck here for all eternity at least you won't be _bored_."

"Wait, what, we're stuck?" Amy interjected, alarmed, and Lily explained: "The inside of the Tardis is now joined to the outside of the Tardis; we're in a loop."

"And worse than a time loop, we're stuck in a space loop." The Doctor added while Amy's jaw dropped. "Nothing can enter or leave this ship ever again."

Of course, it was at that moment that the door to the Tardis opened and another _Amy_ walked into the console room.

It was the Doctor's turn for his mouth to drop open, as they all stared down at the second Amy, who stopped just inside the Tardis as she looked up at them.

"Okay, kids." The other Amy declared determinedly. "This is where it gets complicated."

They all stared at the other Amy, and Amy asked dazedly: "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm you, from your future." Other Amy answered, grinning.

"Oh, dear Lord." Lily murmured, when suddenly the Tardis door opened again and another Lily stepped through.

"Have you told them it's complicated?" Other Lily asked other Amy as the four friends standing at the raised level of the console room gaped.

"Yup." Other Amy agreed, while the Doctor walked down the stairs again to peer more closely at the newcomers.

"Okay, good." Other Lily replied, when the Doctor interjected: "Tell me exactly what's happened."

"Well," the other Amy began reciting, "the exterior shell of the Tardis has drifted forwards in time. If you step into the box now, you step into the control floor a tiny bit in the past."

The other Amy smiled proudly, and Amy interjected bluntly: "I don't understand."

"Neither do I." The other Amy admitted in a whisper.

"But you just said it." Amy protested, and Lily interrupted as she realized: "No, she remembered you hearing this and is just repeating what you just heard."

"Exactly." The other Amy nodded, and other Lily explained: "We're just saying what we remember our future selves said when we were in the past, which is where you lot are now."

Rory and the Doctor stared, while Amy protested: "I still don't understand."

"Trust me," the other Amy advised, "you still don't."

"It's less complicated than it sounds." Other Lily reassured, but Lily pointed out: "It's also a lot more complicated if there's a time gap between stepping through the other Tardis and now."

"I knew you were going to say that." Other Lily noted, while both Amys and Rory's heads spun.

"Okay," the Doctor interrupted as he addressed other Amy and Lily, "when do Lily and Amy step inside the box. We need to maintain the time line."

"Ah." Other Amy beamed, and she explained: "As soon as _she's_ slapped Rory."

She gestured to Amy, and other Lily added: "And I leave about five seconds after Amy."

Lily snorted again, while Amy answered easily: "Okay."

"Ha." Rory interjected, laughing sarcastically. "No, why do _I_ get slapped?"

"Because we have to stick to the established chain of events." The Doctor explained grimly. "One mistake and the whole time line could collapse. We could end up with two Lilys, and two _Amy Ponds_ for ever, and _then_ what would you do?"

He looked at Rory, who looked dumbstruck for a moment. The Doctor paused as his words caught up to him while Amy and Lily stared. Rory suddenly had an idea and he lifted a finger while turning to look at his Amy suggestively.

Amy gasped incredulously, before slapping Rory. Rory held his cheek, while Lily said flatly to the Doctor: "You just had the same idea, didn't you."

"Maybe." The Doctor said sheepishly, and Lily's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Okay." The Doctor said quickly, dashing forward. "Amy, into the police box now."

He grabbed the redhead and pushed her down towards the other Tardis. Amy stumbled, steadying herself against the other Tardis's door, before she turned back to her friends as she asked hesitantly: "And then I become her?"

She nodded to her other self, and the Doctor said impatiently: "Yes. Go, go, go!"

"You just don't want to get slapped, too." Lily observed, and other Lily agreed: "Yes, it's a pity it doesn't happen for us – though you could try it and see what happens."

"No, no, we have to stick to the time line." The Doctor answered hastily.

The two Lilys exchanged slightly disappointed looks, while Amy glanced at her future self.

"Do I really look like that?" She asked in a whisper, and other Amy leaned on the side of the other Tardis as she answered with a grin: "Yeah. Yeah, you do."

"Ooo. I would give you driving lessons." Amy grinned appreciatively, and other Amy answered flirtatiously: "I bet you would."

Both Lilys wrinkled their noses while the Doctor groaned: "Oh, this is how it all ends. Pond flirting with herself."

The two Amys looked up at him with identical if mirrored poses and expressions, while the Doctor continued sarcastically: "True love at last."

He paused, before adding as he remembered: "Oh, sorry, Rory."

"Absolutely no problem at all." Rory answered, almost drooling as he stared at his two wives.

"You might want to close that mouth, Rory." Lily advised, and other Lily added: "You'll catch flies in it."

Lily gave her counterpart a surprised look, before she grinned and her future self returned the gesture.

"You were saying, Doctor?" Rory asked, glancing over to see it was now the Doctor's turn to drool.

Lily also looked over, before smacking her husband's arm, and the Doctor quickly straightened. Rubbing his arm, he called: "Right, ehem, Amy, go – _now_."

Amy turned to her future self, asking: "What's the first line?"

"'Okay, kids, this is where it gets complicated'." Other Amy recited, and Amy grinned.

"Gotcha." She said, before disappearing inside the other Tardis.

Lily walked down to the other Tardis in the meantime, counting, and she checked with her future self as other Lily walked over to join other Amy: "I ask Amy if she's said things are complicated, yeah?"

"Yup." Other Lily answered, and Lily smiled.

"Excellent." She said, before she too disappeared into the other Tardis.

Now that it was only the two women left once more, both Amy and Lily turned to the Doctor expectantly.

"Now, what?" Lily asked, while Amy asked excitedly: "So, is that it? Are we okay now?"

"No, we're still trapped." The Doctor answered, before he said to Lily: "I have absolutely no idea. That wasn't helpful at all, besides seeing how good you look double."

"Doctor." Lily warned, and he shrugged: "What? It's the truth."

"And he gave _me_ a hard time about ogling my own wife." Rory muttered, when suddenly the Tardis door opened yet again and Amy and _Rory_ entered this time.

They all gaped at the future pair, and the Doctor demanded: "What are you doing?"

"You told us to get into the police box." Other Rory explained.

The Doctor looked behind him – as if looking for a second Doctor – and Rory elaborated hastily: "Well, from your point of view you're about to tell us to get into the police box. From our point of view you just told us to get into the police box, which is why we got into the police box, which is why we're… here."

Both Amys stared at other Rory blankly, as though they were still processing what he was saying, while Rory blinked before he asked skeptically: "Do I have to remember all of that?"

"It just sort of happens." Other Rory admitted.

Amy waved at her future self again, smiling as she said flirtatiously: "Hi."

"Hi." Other Amy answered, wiggling her fingers back, and Lily snorted while the Doctor scolded: "Hey! Stop that. You two," he pushed Amy and Rory forward, "into the police box now. Run."

Amy and Rory hurried into the other Tardis, leaving one Amy and Rory once more, and Lily murmured: "This is getting nowhere."

"Agreed." Rory chimed in as he and Amy started forwards, while Amy said impatiently: "So, what now?"

"You two, stay where you are." The Doctor ordered, while he slowly circled the console.

"What are you doing?" Rory called, and the Doctor explained: "I'm setting up a controlled temporal implosion. It's the only way to reset the Tardis."

"But," Lily protested with a frown, "if you pull the wrong one, you might kill us all."

"What?" Amy asked, alarmed, while Rory lifted his gaze to the ceiling.

"True." The Doctor answered Lily, ignoring the Ponds as he grinned at his wife. "But, I'm about to find out."

Lily's eyes widened, and she breathed: "Oh, that's brilliant."

"Isn't it?" The Doctor winked, just as the Tardis door opened once more and another Doctor ran into the console room, passing the Ponds to call delightedly: "The wibbly lever!"

"The wibbly lever!" The Doctor crowed triumphantly. "Thank you."

He threw the lever, before running down the stairs and rushing into the other Tardis. And Lily laughed as the other Tardis wheezed, dematerializing and leaving just the four friends safely inside the original Tardis once more.

"We're back to normal." Lily called as she checked the scanners, and the Doctor grinned.

He bounded up to join his wife at the console as he said with satisfaction: "The Tardis is no longer inside itself, the localised time field is no longer about to implode and rip a hole in all causality. But!"

The Doctor whirled around, pointing at Amy as he ordered seriously: "Just in case, Pond, put some trousers on."

Amy rolled her eyes, before exchanging amused looks with Rory as Lily laughed while the Doctor grinned and wrapped his arm around the brunette woman at his side.

"Fine, fine." Amy called good-naturedly, walking off. "Rory?"

Rory followed instantly after Amy as the redhead went off 'to put on trousers', and Lily commented lightly: "Well, looks like we're going to have the Tardis to ourselves for a while again."

The Doctor chuckled, and he pulled Lily with him as he asked: "Well, what do you say, love? Should we take a quick trip off to Barcelona, the planet? Or do you want to rest for the day? After all, we haven't really stopped moving since Christmas."

He gave her a meaningful look, and Lily smiled.

* * *

 _Two days ago_

 _Christmas Night_

"So," the Doctor asked as he looked at Lily expectantly, "what's all the secrecy about?"

He was sitting on the captain's chair in the Tardis console room, after Lily had insisted he sit down. Amy and Rory had disappeared to their room after dinner, and the Doctor had half-expected Lily to take him to their own bedroom as well. It was the only conclusion he could draw after all Lily's fidgeting and evasion throughout the evening whenever he'd tried to guess what her 'surprise' was.

But, as he surveyed the console room curiously, the Doctor found himself confused once more as he tried to discern what was different.

"Lily, love?" He asked as his eyes returned to the woman before him, and Lily took a deep breath.

"First of all, Doctor, I just wanted to say thank you for the Christmas present – it was lovely, though you really shouldn't have." Lily began, touching the necklace that now hung from her neck.

The design itself was deceivingly simple, a simple chain with a pendant that looked for all the world like a small round medal with a geometric design inscribed onto it. In fact, at first glance, it did seem as though the most beautiful aspect of the pendant was the glittering gemstone that the medallion was made out of.

Called Krustalliaton from the planet of Coreltia, the Doctor had told her, the gemstone looked to be what one might imagine melted diamonds that had been hardened into a metal form to look like. Glittering but clear yet with a silvery tinge to it, Krustalliaton was apparently extremely rare and had only been gifted to the Doctor many centuries ago after he had saved Coreltia from complete destruction.

The fact that it was so rare made it valuable to most. The fact that it was something gifted to the Doctor previously made it desirable to some. That it was from a happier time for the Doctor, from during his travels before the fall of Gallifrey, made it treasured to few.

But the words inscribed into the exquisite jewel was what made it invaluable to Lily, and had even caused her to shed a happy tear or two earlier that evening when the Doctor had presented it to her with a beaming smile. For words written in the circular Gallifreyan language, which precious few were now able to read, on each side of the pendant read one simple but powerful sentence: 'I love you, Lily Tyler'.

"It was the least I could do." The Doctor answered as he glanced fondly at the pendant around Lily's neck, which now declared forever his love and devotion for her. "And I thought it very fitting – the words are true reflections of my hearts and the gem is one-of-a-kind, which I will never mistake anywhere else - just like you."

"You're such a sentimental old man sometimes." Lily chuckled, and the Doctor just smiled at her.

He waited patiently as Lily took another deep breath, bracing herself once more as she returned to the original topic of conversation she had wanted to have.

"Second, I wanted to say, I love you too." Lily went on, looking the Doctor squarely in the eye. "I love you, more than the universe and everything beyond it."

"I love you too." The Doctor replied, a small, touched smile on his face as he gazed into Lily's hazel orbs. "I have travelled through time and space, and nothing I have found or encountered is more important to me than you are."

"Well," Lily giggled nervously, "you might change that a bit."

The Doctor frowned, and he opened his mouth but Lily spoke before he could.

"Third, Doctor, is a question." She smiled slightly at his confused expression.

However, the nervous air around her was still almost palpable as Lily took a deep breath before she began: "Christo… How do you feel…?"

*A/N Yes, that is all for today. Yes, I'm a horrible person for ending it there. Yes, I'm sorry… but also not sorry ;) And yes, I will now run and hide before any of you can hunt me down!

*Second Note: I'm so sorry everyone! I didn't mean not to update last weekend - but things happened and I didn't have my laptop which had all my written stuff saved on it. Normally I try to give you all a heads-up if there's going to be no regular update, so I'm sorry that didn't happen this time either. However, hopefully, one extra chapter this weekend will make up for it!


	46. 15-1 The Impossible Astronaut

Lily smiled as she stepped out of the Tardis, lifting her arms out wide as she spotted the familiar blonde. River already had her arms spread wide, and the curly-haired woman hugged Lily warmly, greeting: "Hello, Sweetie."

"Hello, River." Lily replied lightly as she returned the embrace. "And a very Happy New Year."

"New Year was ages ago." River laughed, and Lily shrugged as she answered lightly: "It's only been a week for me since Christmas."

"I see." River observed, her eyes flickering briefly down to look pointedly at the gleaming, round pendant around Lily's neck. Something in her tone told her she knew what the Christmas present was also associated with, however, and Lily blushed slightly as River smiled widely.

Someone cleared their throat loudly from behind, and River let go of the brunette woman to look at the Doctor with raised brows, where he stood in the Tardis doorway.

"Hello to you too, _Sweetie_." She teased, and the Doctor answered flatly, although there was a hint of amusement in his voice: "Hello, River."

He stepped fully out of the Tardis, one arm wrapping casually around his wife's waist (and making River roll her eyes) just as a guard walked up to the cell.

"Ah," the man noted as he stopped before the cell door, "Doctor, Lily."

"Rickey, hello!" The Doctor answered more cheerfully, and Lily almost rolled her eyes at the clearly more enthusiastic greeting the Doctor gave the other brown-haired man while River grinned.

As Rickey opened the cell door, walking in to shake the Doctor's hand, Lily gave a small wave and greeted: "Hello, Rickey. How have you two been?"

She addressed her question to the other pair before her, and both River and Rickey shrugged.

"As good as we've ever been." River answered, while Rickey let go of the Doctor's hand as he added: "Which means, never."

"Of course." Lily laughed while River smirked.

"Of course. So then, did you get our message?" River asked expectantly, eyeing the Time Lord and his wife.

In answer, Lily held up the Doctor's psychic paper, showing the message: 'Stormcage. Bring Lily.' It was followed by a specific date and time- the current time, to be exact.

River beamed, while the Doctor complained: "I'm not your personal transport to come get you every time- if you wanted to leave, you could just go on your own or get your lovely personal jailer to let you out."

"We're not leaving." River explained, before adding cheekily: "And you are so wrong about coming to get us."

She gestured at herself and Rickey, making the Doctor scoff and Lily chuckle.

"So, if you weren't leaving…?" Lily prompted, grinning as the Doctor pouted at her for not defending him.

"I just wanted to see you again. It's been ages." River answered lightly, making Lily laugh and the Doctor's jaw drop open.

"What?" He demanded. "I am _not_ your errand boy! Come on, Lily," he grabbed his wife in annoyance, "we're leaving."

"No, you aren't." Rickey replied at the same time Lily protested: "But, Doctor-"

He stopped to glare at Rickey, but he looked pointedly at Lily, who quickly turned her attention back to the Doctor as she wheedled: "We haven't seen River, or Rickey really, in ages either. Surely we can stay just a little while…?"

"Just two days." River added, and Lily repeated to the Doctor soothingly: "Just two days- wait, what?"

She turned to stare at River in surprise, even as the Doctor bristled.

"No." He argued flatly, making Lily smack his arm even as she wondered what had possessed River. Surely the blonde time-traveler knew that the Doctor would never sit in one place for _that_ long. Even two hours would've likely tried his patience in the dull cell.

"Yes." River countered, and the Doctor snapped: "I am not sitting around in a jail cell for _two_ days, just because you decide to."

He paused, before adding in confusion: "Why are you deciding to? You're incapable of staying put that long."

"That's rich, coming from you." River commented, before Lily cut in quickly before the pair could get into an argument: "River, is something wrong? You don't usually make this kind of request."

She looked at the other woman pointedly, and River smiled.

"I _may_ ," River admitted, "have broken out of my cell one too many times…"

"Try one hundred times too many." Rickey said a little dryly, and River retorted flirtatiously: "Oh, hush you. I don't remember you complaining when I 'broke' out last night."

"Yes, we don't need to know those details." The Doctor interjected, looking slightly alarmed, and River scoffed: "Oh please, I see the rings on your fingers and I know you two have been just as busy at nights. And days."

"River." Rickey chided gently as both Lily and the Doctor went beet-red.

River glanced at her husband, as though remembering something, and she said lightly: "Oh, sorry, my love. Sometimes I forget."

"Forget what?" Lily asked in confusion, but River waved it off as she went on: "And now I have to be good for at least two days if I ever want to be released."

"Why not have Rickey stay with you?" The Doctor asked, and Rickey admitted: "I've been given holiday leave, or more like forced to take one."

At their curious looks, he elaborated wryly: "I haven't taken a break for ten years."

"You've been working straight for _ten_ years?" Lily repeated in shock, and the Doctor pointed out: "Well, it can't have been that hard if he's married to his jailee."

"Anyway," Rickey cut in as River opened her mouth to retort, "I've been given two days leave, and River suggested we call you."

"You know, you could just run away." Lily pointed out to River. "At this point, you're pretty much just staying here out of your own free will."

River grinned at that, winking at the brunette girl as the Doctor and Rickey chuckled, the former despite himself. The Doctor quickly remembered his earlier annoyance with the blonde woman however, and he frowned again as he argued: "So why do we have to stay here with you?"

"You don't." River answered. The Doctor looked at her in surprise and then incredulity as she added: "I'm asking Lily to stay with me."

Lily raised her brows in surprise, while the Doctor asked in disbelief: "So, you're asking me to leave my wife behind with you for two days?"

His voice already held his definitive answer to the question, but River countered lightly: "No, I'm asking you to leave your wife with me for a few hours, take Rickey on a nice vacation, and then you pop back in two days later in our time."

The Doctor paused, weighing that in his mind, while River smirked at Lily, hinting at the younger woman. Lily saw and took the hint, and she leant against the Doctor just slightly, her tone hinting at flirtatious as she said: "I think some girl time will be nice, and then we can enjoy some… private time when you get back."

The Doctor raised a brow, his back straightening just slightly and they all knew Lily had won. To no-one's surprise, the Doctor said quickly and nonchalantly: "Well, I suppose it wouldn't do _too_ much harm… although, are you sure, love?" He asked Lily with a pointed look.

"It is two whole days." He reminded, and she smiled while River interjected: "Don't worry, I'll keep her entertained, and then _you_ two can make up for it later."

She gave them a pointed look that the Doctor ignored as he hugged his wife, humming slightly.

Lily patted his cheek as she encouraged: "Go on - go enjoy a day off, and I'll see you soon."

"I'll see you sooner." The Doctor teased as he leant in to kiss her. Lily smiled into the kiss before she answered it, her arms wrapping around the Doctor's neck as he deepened the kiss.

"Yes, yes," River interrupted impatiently, "when you two are done."

Lily broke away from the Doctor, giving River a sheepish look while the Doctor gave her an annoyed one.

River ignored his look as she pushed her own husband towards the Doctor, before grabbing Lily and pulling her towards her bed as she called: "Goodbye, Sweetie."

"You'd better take good care of my wife, Doctor Song." The Doctor replied seriously.

"I wasn't talking to you," River retorted cheekily, "but of course I will."

Lily laughed as Rickey grinned and the Doctor wrinkled his nose. The Doctor gave Lily one more look of longing, but turned away at her nod of encouragement. The two men disappeared into the Tardis, and soon the blue box wheezed out of existence once more. Lily sighed a little, feeling a little lonely with the Doctor gone, but she smiled as River turned to her excitedly, asking: "So, what do you want to do?"

* * *

For the rest of the day River entertained her friend, the pair enjoying a movie marathon on River's stolen portable player and projector, including all the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies (which basically took the whole day).

They chatted between scenes, generally catching up with each other although they were each careful not to mention shared adventures as each woman's past was the other's future. Their laughter and conversation lasted well into the night before Lily eventually fell asleep beside her curly-haired friend, sleeping straight through the end with Smaug and Thorin's madness.

She woke up to find River had apparently decided sleep was boring and had moved on to listening to an retro radio instead. The song she was currently playing fitted well with the theme, and Lily listened to the soothing tune as she shifted, yawning sleepily.

"Morning, sleepy-head." River greeted, not looking up from where she was swaying slightly to the music by her cell window.

"Morning, Sweetie." Lily answered, using River's catch phrase back at her.

River grinned, while Lily sat up, stretching lightly as she asked, glancing around the dark cell: "How long was I out?"

"Six whole hours." River complained, making Lily laugh.

"Sorry?" Lily teased, and River mock-glared at her.

"You'd better be." River teased back, and Lily laughed again, before she nodded at the radio.

"What song is that?" She asked curiously, and River's smiled widened.

"It's called 'Time in a bottle', by Jim Croce." River explained. "From 1973; it's one of my absolute favourites."

"Really?" Lily asked, listening quietly to the rather simple but calming and sweet tune. "I can see why, but I'm still surprised – I'd have thought you would like a flashier sound."

"Oh, I did when I was… much younger." River admitted with a smile. "But, this one grew on me; you introduced it to me, actually. You and the Doctor."

"Really?" Lily asked, surprised, and River nodded as she hummed, still swaying to the song: "Mhm…"

"Er…"

Both women glanced up in surprise as a male voice cleared his throat. Lily saw with some amusement that it was a Stormcage prison guard, his expression somewhat confused as he stared at the new addition to his charge's cell. Her own brow raised in confusion as she saw he was hesitantly holding out two blue envelopes- two Tardis-blue envelopes to be precise.

"These came in for you and your… guest." The guard said a little flatly, eyeing Lily warily but resignedly.

Clearly, no-one was really surprised whenever something strange occurred related to River Song.

The pair of women inside the cell took the envelopes, the guard walking off as Lily examined the envelope curiously. It was standard and rather plain, and if not for the impeccable timing of the specifically-coloured envelope, she might not have been as interested.

As it was, she peered curiously at the silvery-white '0' embellished on the back, before glancing at River. The blonde was examining her own envelope curiously, and she caught Lily's eye as the brunette looked over.

"Is yours also numbered?" She asked as she held up her envelope to show the '2' on the back. Lily simply lifted hers as well, showing River, who raised a brow.

"What, is he showing off his claim on you?" River asked dismissively, making Lily chuckle.

"I doubt it's that simple." Lily replied, amused, as she opened her envelope. She frowned as she pulled out the single card inside, listing a date, a time, and a map reference.

"Why does he want us in America?" Lily asked, confused, and River shrugged.

"Why does the Doctor do anything?" She questioned, making Lily shrug as well.

"Usually because he wants to show off." Lily said thoughtfully. "Except, when he's being as secretive as this, it's because there's something else going on… and I usually don't like it."

"Come on," River teased, "surely you like the adventure that follows, even if they can be alarming at the time."

"Oh, the adventure's fine." Lily corrected. "It's the fact that it usually involves the Doctor lying that I don't like."

River grinned at that, but she returned to business as she stared at the envelope.

"You know what this means, right?" River asked, and Lily nodded.

"I'll help you pack." The brunette girl sighed in pretend resignation, but her hazel eyes betrayed her as they gleamed with amusement and excitement.

River laughed at her friend, shaking her head at the other woman's eagerness to see her husband again.

* * *

River's teleport took them to the exact location, the pair landing by a roadside in the middle of Utah just in time to see the Doctor hug Rory enthusiastically. Rickey stood beside them, smiling lightly as Amy beamed beside him, and while she was happy to see the Ponds again, Lily raised a brow as she took the Doctor in. More specifically, what he was wearing. While it was a better addition – well, maybe that was debatable - than the bright red fez…

"I wear a Stetson now." They heard the Doctor say, even from afar.

Lily's brow rose even higher and her eyes slid over to River as the Doctor finished: "Stetsons are cool."

River took Lily's hint and swiftly drew her gun, firing a shot at the Doctor's head and shooting the Stetson right off his head. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory all flinched, whipping around with wide eyes to find the source of the gunshot. Rickey turned more calmly - clearly he was used to this - and he smiled as River blew the tip of her still-smoking revolver, Lily grinning beside her.

"Hello, Sweetie." River greeted and Lily had to laugh at the dumbfounded looks on the trio's faces. Rickey chuckled with her while the Doctor's face softened at the sound, but Lily was surprised to see an almost pensive expression flash his eyes before it was gone, a beaming smile appearing on his face.

* * *

Lily sat beside the Doctor, his arm wrapped around her as he flipped through his diary with his other hand. Rickey and River sat on the opposite side of the diner booth, the former smiling lightly as he hugged his own wife while River asked as she looked through her own diary intently: "Right then, where are we? Have we done Easter Island yet?"

"Er," the Doctor muttered as he flipped through before he lit up, crowing excitedly: "yes! I've got Easter Island."

Lily frowned slightly, not recognizing the name, and it only deepened as River said fondly: "They worshipped you there. Have you seen the statues?"

She glanced up, her smile also slipping into a slight frown as she saw Lily's, but the Doctor cut in without looking up: "Jim the fish."

"Oh!" River cried, momentarily distracted by the fond memory. "Jim the fish. How is he?"

Rickey smiled a little at Lily, his eyes soft with some form of understanding as he saw her frown at the Doctor questioningly.

"Still building his dam," the Doctor answered River and seemingly not noticing his wife's look, "and waiting for you to come back and snog him again."

"Oooh," River muttered, "better not go back any time soon then."

"Sorry," Rory interrupted before Lily could say something as he and Amy returned with a bottle of coke each, "what are you two doing?"

Only Lily looked over at him in surprise, while Amy quickly explained: "They're all time travellers, so they never meet in the right order. They're syncing their diaries."

Rory still looked confused, but Amy turned away, asking the Doctor with a raised brow and an accusing look: " So, what's happening, then? Because you've been up to something, and it's only been three weeks since Christmas."

Lily looked at the redhead in surprise, her confusion only growing as the Doctor admitted: "I've been running, faster than I've ever run. And I've been running my whole life."

His arm tightened around Lily as he added quietly: "Now, it's time for me to stop. And tonight," he looked at each of them in turn, "I'm going to need you all with me."

His gaze rested on Lily last, a small smile appearing on his face as he took in her confused and now slightly alarmed expression.

"Doctor?" She asked quietly, but he just shook his head, his smile becoming a little sad.

Her worried look only intensified, but the Doctor simply took her hand in his as Amy asked impatiently: "Okay. We're here. What's up?"

"A picnic." The Doctor answered cheerfully.. "And then a trip. Somewhere different, somewhere brand new."

Both Lily and Amy frowned, the former out of concern and the latter out of confusion.

"Where?" Amy asked, and the Doctor gave a slight smile, kissing Lily on the side of the head as he replied mysteriously: "Space, 1969."

* * *

Lily was feeling incredibly annoyed and more than a little confused by the time they'd set up the picnic by the lake outside the diner.

The Doctor had been evading her; not physically, as he kept one arm wrapped securely around her, and not enough that Amy and Rory really seemed to notice, but he was clearly avoiding any conversation with her as he chatted with the Ponds. River seemed to have noticed, and she was also frowning slightly at the Doctor as they settled down on the picnic blanket, but a hand from Rickey made her close her mouth. Lily's patience was wearing thin, but she silently accepted the wine glass the Doctor passed around, waiting either for him to finally explain what was going on or for the right timing to demand an explanation.

"Salud!" The Doctor said as he raised his bottle of wine, making Lily raise a brow but she joined the others in chorusing: "Salud."

As they all took a sip from their glasses, the Doctor swirled his bottle thoughtfully, not yet drinking as he stared at the red liquid as though seeking an answer to something. He glanced up as Rory asked at last: "So, when are going to 1969?"

"And since when do you drink wine?" Amy asked.

"I'm eleven hundred and three." The Doctor answered lightly, although Lily's frown deepened. "I must've drunk it sometime."

He took a large swig directly from his bottle, only to immediately turn away, letting go of Lily as he spat the contents out onto the sand. Amy and Lily raised their brows, the former bursting out into giggles while the Doctor whined: "Oh, why it's horrid. I thought it would taste more like the gums."

He stuck out his tongue in distaste as he tried to get rid of the lingering taste, while Lily said suspiciously: "What do you mean you're eleven hundred and three?"

"You were 908 the last time we saw you." Amy added, though she sent Lily a puzzled look.

The brunette had her narrowed eyes focused on the Doctor, who tried to ignore her angry gaze as he retorted to Amy: "And you've put on a couple of pounds. I wasn't going to mention it."

"Doctor." Lily said a little sharply, refusing to be distracted this time. "What do you mean you're 1103? Are you seriously telling me to believe you travelled with Rickey for almost 200 years?"

He finally looked over at her, his gaze sheepish but Lily's concern returned as she saw the sorrow that lay in those impossibly old orbs.

"Doctor?" She asked, concerned, when Amy suddenly asked in surprise: "Who's that?"

Lily glanced at the redhead as Rory asked: "Hmm? Who's who?"

"Sorry, what?" Amy asked back, looking at her husband in surprise.

Lily frowned, as did Rory, who asked: "What did you see? You said you saw something."

Lily glanced at their other friends as Amy answered, sounding confused: "No, I didn't."

Lily's eyes narrowed as she saw River and Rickey share puzzled looks while a flash of something Lily couldn't quite understand crossed the Doctor's face. It was almost like… understanding, mixed with resignation. Her frown deepened once more as she wondered what on Earth was going on while the Doctor quickly began, distracting all of their attentions: "Ah, the moon. Look at it."

He pointed to the faint outline of said orbiting rock in the sky as he continued: "Of course, you lot did a lot more than look, didn't you? Big, silvery thing in the sky. You couldn't resist it. Quite right."

The Ponds turned to him, their moment forgotten, but Lily stared at her husband suspiciously. ' _What is going on?'_ She wondered.

"The moon landing was in '69." Rory commented thoughtfully. "Is that where we're going?"

"No." The Doctor answered, suddenly becoming a serious. "A lot more happens in '69 than anyone remembers. Human beings."

His face turned soft, his eyes shining with fondness and an almost forlorn look. It alarmed Lily, and she took his hand as he murmured: " I thought I'd never get done saving you."

Lily didn't understand what was wrong as she peered at the Doctor beseechingly, but he simply gave her another sad smile before his green eyes flickered away as they heard a car approaching. Lily glanced over as well to see a truck pull up nearby, and an elderly gentleman stepped out of the cab. Lily frowned, not recognizing him and wondering why he was here, especially when the Doctor waved at the man.

"Who's he?" Amy asked, while Lily asked quietly as fear started to grip her: "Doctor?"

His face had turned quite grim by now, and as he turned his eyes back to her, Lily's heart sank as she looked deep into the familiar green depths. _Something is very wrong._

"Oh, my God." River suddenly gasped as Rickey shot to his feet.

They all turned to see a NASA spacesuit standing up out of the lake, slowly making its way out of the water and towards the beach. The whole suit was white, except for the lowered, gold-plated visor, which glinted in the Utah sunshine.

"What is that doing here?" Lily asked, fear starting to take over her entire body.

The Doctor squeezed her hand reassuringly, but unfortunately it only made Lily's panic grow as he lifted her hand to press a kiss on it right above her wedding band, before he let go and stood up, slowly starting to walk towards the spacesuit.

"Doctor?" Lily demanded, feeling frightened as she made to follow him, but the Doctor held a hand back, keeping his eyes fixed on the spacesuit as he warned: "You all need to stay back. Whatever happens now, you do not interfere. Clear?"

"No, not clear." Lily retorted sharply, her heart dropping even further when a second spacesuit appeared out of the lake. This one didn't move, just standing and watching from its place as its twin finally cleared the water and stepped onto the dry beach.

"Lily, please." The Doctor turned his head just slightly to meet her worried hazel eyes. "Just this once, please listen to me and stay right there."

"Will you come back safe if I do?" She demanded, and he promised: "You'll see me again."

He looked her in the eye as he added: "After all, you're the keeper of my hearts."

Lily frowned slightly at that, but the Doctor just gave her a soft smile. She relented then, pursing her lips unhappily but remaining by the edge of the picnic blanket as the Doctor turned back to the spacesuit and strode off towards it at the edge of the lake.

River reached over to hug her friend reassuringly, Lily not moving her eyes off the Doctor while she clutched the pendant around her neck tightly in her left hand.

"That's an astronaut." Rory said confusedly. "That's an Apollo astronaut in a lake."

"Yeah." Amy answered tersely, also worried. Lily didn't even glance at them as she kept her eyes fixed on her husband, her hands twisting worriedly as the Doctor stopped right before the spacesuit.

"Hello." The Doctor greeted the astronaut. "It's okay. I know it's you."

They watched anxiously, puzzled as the astronaut lifted its visor. It stood to the side and with its back slightly towards them, blocking their view of the person inside. Lily's brows furrowed, and she gripped River tightly in worry as the Doctor murmured: " Well then."

He said something to the astronaut in a softer tone, and Lily couldn't hear his words before he bowed his head.

"What's he doing?" Amy demanded, but Lily couldn't answer. Partly because she didn't know either, and partly because she had a bad feeling about this and was praying that she was so very, very wrong.

The astronaut shot a green laser blast at the Doctor, hitting him squarely in the chest. Lily screamed in pure horror and fear, while Amy shrieked in alarm, starting forward: " Doctor!"

Lily rushed forward, when River's tight grip on her arm dragged her back to the picnic blanket. Lily writhed in the blonde woman's grip, trying to break free, but River kept a firm hold on the panicking woman as she ordered sharply: "Amy, stay back!"

Amy struggled as Rory grabbed his wife at River's words, holding her back. None of their eyes left the Doctor, and Lily screamed once more as the astronaut shot the Doctor once more, making him fall back onto the ground in agony. Lily wrenched her arm out of River's grasp, running for the Doctor when Rickey grabbed her.

"Let me go! Doctor!" Lily screamed, but Rickey's hold on her only tightened as River grabbed Amy with Rory, shouting at the devastated redhead: "The Doctor said stay back! You have to stay back!"

"No!" Amy shouted angrily while Lily cried: "Doctor!"

Her eyes widened in complete terror as regeneration energy began to flow out of the Doctor's hands as the Time Lord slowly got to his feet and lifted his hands towards his face. His face was filled with regret and sorrow as he glanced back at Lily, and her heart shattered as he murmured softly: " I'm sorry."

His face began to glow and Lily's mouth fell open as the astronaut shot one more time, and the Doctor collapsed into a heap on the sand at last, the regeneration energy disappearing.

"NO!" Lily screamed, and Rickey finally let her go. At first she seemed unable to run, her legs starting to buckle under her, but before the tall man could grab her again in alarm, she seemed to regain some control and the brunette dashed to the fallen Time Lord.

Her friends were right behind her, arriving beside the Doctor as Lily fell to her knees beside the prone body.

"Doctor, please!" Amy begged as she knelt on the Doctor's other side, staring down at the man. Lily's hands were pressed on either side of his face, her eyes shining with tears as River pulled out her hand-held computer, scanning the Doctor quickly.

"River." Amy pleaded, silently asking the woman to reassure her the Doctor was fine.

"River!" Amy shouted when the woman didn't reply, but her face fell when River lifted her head.

The woman's grim face said it all, and Amy said in a small voice: "River? No."

Rory knelt down to comfort his wife as River stood up, turning to see the astronaut disappearing back into the water. Its companion had already sunk back into the lake, and in a fit of fury River whipped out her gun and began to fire after the retreating spacesuit.

She fired all five shots that she had left, emptying her cartridge but none of her bullets left so much as a dent on the spacesuit before it disappeared into the water for good.

"Of course not." River snarled bitterly, and Rickey placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. His own face was grim as he stared at the now still lake, and River breathed deeply in an effort to calm down.

"River, he can't be dead." Amy whispered. "This isn't possible."

"Whatever that was, it killed him in the middle of his regeneration cycle." River answered flatly. "His body was already dead. He didn't make it to the next one."

A choked breath made her glance at the brunette woman still bent over the Doctor's head. River's heart sank as she saw Lily's hands tighten around the Doctor's still face, silent tears falling thickly from the broken-hearted woman's eyes and landing in small, salty splashes on the Doctor's closed ones.

"Maybe he's a clone or a duplicate or something." Amy tried desperately, refusing to give up on her now-dead friend.

Rory shook his head sadly, squeezing Amy's shoulder warningly as he glanced worriedly at Lily. The group, aside from Lily who hadn't moved since she'd collapsed to her knees beside the Doctor, looked up sharply as they heard the sound of footsteps. Amy's eyes narrowed as she saw it was the old man from the truck, carrying a gasoline can.

"I believe I can save you some time." The man said quietly. "That most certainly is the Doctor. And he is most certainly dead, I'm afraid."

Amy's eyes were angry slits, but the man said gently: "He said you'd need this."

He held out the can he was holding, and Rory asked in confusion: "Gasoline?"

"A Time Lord's body is a miracle." River explained quietly, her heart heavy. "Even a dead one. There are whole empires out there who'd rip this world apart for just one cell. We can't leave him here. Or anywhere."

Lily whimpered, and River bent down to touch the brunette's shoulder gently as Amy began to hit the Doctor's chest, ordering desperately: "Wake up. Come on, wake up, you stupid, bloody idiot, you can't do this to Lily!"

Lily choked on another silent sob, River's hands tightening on her shoulder and Amy turned to her husband, begging: "What do we do, Rory?"

Rory just stared back at her sadly, and Rickey answered instead: "We're his friends. We do what the Doctor's friends always do. As we're told."

"Look where that got me." Lily whispered, her voice breaking. "I did what he said, and I lost him."

She had started to shake, and River tried to hug her but Lily pushed her off.

"Why'd you stop me, River?" Lily demanded, lifting her eyes from her dead husband at last to stare mournfully at her friend. "Why would you stop me?"

"He wouldn't have wanted you to die with him." River answered sadly, and a hint of anger entered Lily's eyes.

"He wouldn't have wanted it?" She demanded. "Well, that's too bad for him isn't it? Because now I have to live with the fact that I watched my husband die right in front of my eyes. But who cares, right? Because _he_ told us to."

"Lily-" Rickey began, and Lily snapped, her voice becoming higher and higher as she fought back her anger and tears: "He knew what he was doing, so it's fine isn't it? He even thought to prepare his own funeral, that's how genius he is!"

"Lily." Rory cut in, moving from Amy's side to grab the brunette woman's shoulders. Looking her straight in the eyes, he ordered: "Calm down!"

Lily stared at him, her eyes swimming with tears.

"Why would he go like that, without a fight?" She asked brokenly. "Why wouldn't he tell me if he knew he was going to die? Why did he have to _lie?_ "

Her voice cracked, and Rory simply hugged the woman as she began to cry again. Lily wailed into her friend's chest as the sorrow-induced anger disappeared, leaving only a terrible, empty, coldness.

Amy met her husband's eyes sadly, the two exchanging pained looks over the sobbing woman's head. It was unusual for Lily to react quite so violently – for while she could be emotional and compassionate, hysteria wasn't usually on the list of actions Lily was likely to take; then again, she had just lost the Doctor. The Doctor…

River and Rickey watched in silence as Amy began to softly pat her friend's head, Lily's cries becoming harder and sharper as she gasped for breath. River glanced at Rickey, before taking his hand, the pair knowing more to Lily's current state, but knowing better than to speak.

The group remained in silence, the lakeside filled only with the sounds of Lily's sobs, and then her sniffles as she slowly cried herself out.

*A/N That was emotional to write, and I'm sorry to do it to my readers! It lightens up, I promise… sort of…

Note to my reader **AngiLOVE3** for suggesting the song mentioned earlier. I have plans for it, drawing on the idea you pitched in your PM; but credits to you for the fantastic song choice.

Also, as a side note, no, I did not spoil the Hobbit (book or movie). As the actor of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Martin Freeman, eloquently put it: "Sorry… but the book _is_ seventy-five-plus years old."


	47. 15-2 Trust

When Lily quieted down at last, Rickey said softly: "There's a boat."

He pointed off to one side, where an old rowing boat sat upon the sandy beach. River's face was grim as Rickey murmured: "If we're going to do this, let's do it properly."

Rory nodded, gently letting go of Lily and Amy wrapped her arms around the brunette in a silent show of comfort and understanding. Lily buried her head into Amy's hair, exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. The pair remained where they were as the others readied the boat for the Doctor's passing.

They worked well until sunset, settling the Doctor's body in the boat and covering him liberally with the gasoline. Amy and Lily didn't move, the latter unable to even watch until at last Rory gently tugged the two women to their feet.

"It's time." He said quietly.

Amy sobbed as she turned her eyes to her dead friend once more, but the others waited for Lily. She refused to look, not even when Rory tried to coax her to at least give the Doctor a final farewell. Eventually, Rickey simply set the boat alight and he and Rory pushed it out into the lake.

It was only then that Lily finally lifted her eyes off her feet, watching the flames lick up at her husband's body. She choked and the tears returned in full force once more as she sank to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Amy collapsed beside her, hugging her friend as she stared out at the burning boat while the others just watched, unable to offer any comfort to the broken-hearted woman.

Rickey hugged River as the strange old man stared out with tear-filled eyes and Rory walked back to stand beside his wife and best friend in silent solidarity. River finally turned her eyes to the newcomer, asking the old man even as her voice cracked: "Who are you? Why did you come?"

Amy finally lifted her head, turning to stare as the old man answered softly: "The same reason as you."

He held out a blue envelope and invitation. River slowly, pulled out her envelope, comparing the two and her eyes narrowed as she saw they were the exact same… except for one small detail.

The old man said mournfully: "Doctor Song, Doctor Smith, Amy, Rory… Lily."

The exhausted brunette turned her head slightly, the only acknowledgement that she had even heard him. Amy tightened her hand on her friend's shoulder as the man introduced: "I'm Canton Everett Delaware the third."

He gave a small, sad smile as he finished softly: "I won't be seeing you again… but, you'll be seeing me."

He gave them one final smile in farewell, turning and leaving without another word. As soon as the man was out of earshot, River turned to the group and blurted out: "Four."

"Sorry, what?" Rory asked, puzzled, and Rickey frowned as River explained: "The Doctor numbered the envelopes."

* * *

River strode back into the diner, leading the way determinedly as she said to Rory sharply: "You got 3, I was 2, Mr. Delaware was 4, and Lily got 0. Sweetie?"

She turned to her husband questioningly, and he shrugged as he admitted: "I arrived back at Stormcage to find you gone. The Doctor, this Doctor," he corrected, "the 1103 year old Doctor, arrived to pick me up himself."

"So we were the only ones with numbered envelopes." River murmured, and Rory asked in exasperation: "So?"

"So," River said impatiently, "where's 1?"

Both Rickey and Rory frowned, and Rory asked skeptically: "What, you think he invited someone else?"

"Well, he must have." River pointed out. "He planned all of this, to the last detail."

"Will you two shut up?" Amy hissed as she and Lily finally followed the others inside. "It doesn't matter."

"He was up to something." River insisted, and Amy snapped: "He's dead."

Lily sighed, too tired to cry anymore, while Rickey murmured: "'Space, 1969'. What did he mean?"

"Not you, too." Lily sighed, rubbing her temples tiredly while Amy said flatly: "You're still talking, but it doesn't matter."

"Hey," Rory said sharply, "it mattered to him."

"So it matters to us." River chimed in, and Amy exploded: "He's dead."

"Yes, can we stop repeating it?" Lily asked quietly, and Amy shot an apologetic look at her friend.

"Sorry." She murmured guiltily, and River cut in: "Amy, Lily I know. All right? But right now we have to focus."

Amy frowned, turning back to River in annoyance, when Rory suddenly said: "Look."

He pointed to a table near the back of the diner, or more specifically the blue envelope sitting on the table beside an opened bottle of coke. River's eyes widened, and she and Rickey hurried towards the table as Rory turned to a nearby busboy, asking quickly: "Excuse me, who was sitting over there?"

"Some guy." The busboy shrugged.

River muttered in the meantime as she picked up the envelope: "The Doctor knew he was going to his death, so he sent out messages. When you know it's the end, who do you call?"

"Your clueless wife, apparently." Lily deadpanned as she and Amy slowly and tiredly made their way over.

River shot her an exasperated look, while Rickey sighed. Rory quickly cut in as he said: "Er, your friends. People you trust."

"Number 1." River said as she flipped the envelope to show them the silvery number on the blue envelope. "Who did the Doctor trust the most after Lily?"

They all frowned, but before anyone could answer the restroom doors opened behind the group and they all turned to look. River's mouth fell open, Amy and Rory blinked in shock, Rickey rubbed his eyes as though to test they were working, while Lily went so white it looked like she was going to faint.

"This is cold." River said numbly as she stared at the tall man. "Even by your standards, this is cold."

The Doctor blinked at them, raising a brow as he pulled a straw from his mouth and answered: "Or hello, as people used to say."

"Doctor?" Amy asked faintly, and the Doctor glanced at all of them, clearly confused by their reaction. He moved towards Lily, stopping immediately when she backed away looking torn between hurt and horrified.

The Doctor glanced around again, looking completely lost and he held up the straw he'd gone to fetch as he explained in a puzzled tone: "I just popped out to get my special straw. It adds more fizz."

He glanced at his wife again, bewildered by the ashen look on her face, before turning to Amy as the redhead walked up, breathing: "You're okay."

She circled him, taking him in as she asked numbly: "How can you be okay?"

"Hey, of course I'm okay." The Doctor replied, even as his mind raced to try and figure out what was wrong with his friends and wife. "I'm always okay."

He hugged her as he saw just how shaken she was, patting her comfortingly as he continued: "I'm the King of Okay. Oh, that's a rubbish title." He added with a grimace. "Forget that title."

He looked at Lily hopefully, confused when she showed no reaction. She honestly looked like she was going to pass out, and he slowly started to head closer as he greeted cheerily: "Rory the Roman! That's a good title. Hello, Rory."

He hugged Rory who was one step closer to Lily from Amy, before turning to the frozen pair right beside Lily.

"And Dr. River Song, and her husband Rickey. You know, Dr. Song," he continued as he slowly arrived to stand right before Lily, "you're never good news. So, what trouble have you brought for me this time?"

He turned to Lily hopefully.

"Did she bully you, Lily?" He grinned at his wife, hoping to make her break out of whatever shock she'd gone into and smile.

Lily slapped him, hard, across the face.

The sound was like a sharp crack that rang across the empty diner, and the force of the blow made the Doctor's head jerk almost completely around.

"Okay." The Doctor said slowly as he grabbed his cheek, working the pain out of his jaw as he stared at Lily in shock and confusion. "I'm assuming I deserved that somehow."

"You have no idea." She answered slowly, and the Doctor asked with a raised brow: "And that would be…?"

"Spoilers." Lily replied flatly, making him frown.

"I don't understand." Rory cut in.

The Doctor turned to him, just as puzzled as Rory asked, prodding the Doctor in confusion: "How can you be here?"

The Doctor examined Lily, not turning away from her as he snapped: "I was invited."

He pulled his envelope from River's hand as he listed: "Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I assume, otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence."

He tossed his envelope back onto the table and Amy butted in, still completely lost: "River, Rickey, what's going on?"

"Amy, ask him what age he is." Rickey told her gently, and the Doctor said with a frown: "That's a bit personal."

"Tell her." River snarled. "Tell her what age you are."

"Now, hang on." The Doctor replied quietly, his eyes darkening in anger in response to River's tone, when Lily spoke up.

"Doctor, how old are you?" She asked seriously, and he glanced at her confusedly.

"909." He answered immediately, his worried frown deepening as she went, if possible, paler. He couldn't understand why – they'd celebrated his birthday mere days ago on New Year's, as per usual – and he glanced around, puzzled.

Rory had gone into further shock, his mouth open as he stared blankly into space as he, too, understood while Amy argued: "Yeah, but you said you were-"

"So where does that leave us, huh?" River cut in furiously. "Jim the fish? Have we done Jim the fish yet?"

"Who's Jim the fish?" The Doctor asked in confusion.

"I don't understand." Amy said flatly, and Rory said just as flatly: "Yeah, you do."

"I don't!" The Doctor snapped. "What are we all doing here, and why does my wife look like she's just seen someone die in front of her?"

Rory and Rickey winced while Lily closed her eyes and tried to take deep calming breaths. Amy's mouth gaped as she tried to find something to say, while River stared at the Doctor with large, mournful eyes.

"We've been recruited." River said at last. "Something to do with space 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware the third."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed and his face had turned dark.

"Recruited by who?" He asked in a low, even voice.

"Someone who trusts you and Lily more than anybody else in the universe…" Rickey answered quietly and the Doctor's hand curled into a fist as he glanced at Lily before looking back at the other two with dark eyes.

But he kept his voice emotionless as he asked: "And who's that?"

"Spoilers." River and Rickey answered. The Doctor raised a brow while Lily's eyes finally opened, and she refused to even look at the Doctor.

* * *

"1969, that's an easy one!" The Doctor crowed cheerfully as he dashed about the console as usual and as though oblivious to the solemn air around his friends. "Funny, how some years are easy. Now, 1482," he leaned beside Amy, "full of glitches."

He then twirled away, while Amy – unable to stand it any more – turned and strode stiffly down to the area beneath the console while Rory watched her go sadly. Lily was already down there, refusing to meet anyone's eyes as she sat curled on the Doctor's swing.

The Doctor tried to act like he didn't notice or that he was bothered by Lily's worrying behaviour as he ran over to River, saying lightly: "Now then, Canton Everett Delaware the third. That was his name, yeah?"

He strode off again, asking aloud: "How many of those can there be? Well, three, I suppose."

River, unable to bear it any more, strode after Amy to join the other two women downstairs. The Doctor finally couldn't keep silent any more either and he edged over to Rory, asking in a whisper: "Rory, are the women all cross with me for some reason?"

"I'll," Rory said in a faltering voice, "find out."

He quickly hurried down as well and the Doctor turned to Rickey with raised brows.

"Spoilers." Rickey sighed, and the Doctor's eyes narrowed.

Meanwhile, below, Amy was demanding in a hushed tone: "Explain it again."

Lily was massaging her temples, her eyes closed as River sighed, explaining again as Rory joined them: "The Doctor we saw on the beach is a future version, two hundred years older than the one up there."

She nodded up at the Doctor by the console, and Amy said flatly: "But all that's still going to happen. He's still going to die."

"Yes, can we stop repeating that?" Lily snapped, and Amy averted her gaze as River chided: "We're all going to do that, Amy."

"We're not all going to arrange our own wake and invite ourselves." Rory pointed out.

Lily squeezed her eyes tightly, grasping her head while Rory continued: "So, the Doctor, in the future, knowing he's going to die, recruits his younger self and all of us to, to what, exactly? Avenge him?"

"Uh huh." River said flatly. "Avenging's not his style."

"Save him." Amy chimed up suddenly, her eyes wide with hope but Rory pointed out: "Yeah, that's not really his style either."

"Watch him." Lily said quietly, making River sigh and Rory look at her pityingly.

"We have to tell him." Amy said determinedly as she got up, but River stopped her as she said urgently: "We've told him all we can. We can't even tell him we've seen his future self."

Amy's mouth fell open, and River explained: "He's interacted with his own past. It could rip a hole in the universe."

"Yes, but he's done it before." Amy pointed out, and Rory counted: "And in fairness, the universe did blow up."

"But he'd want to know." Amy insisted, but River countered: "Would he? Would anyone?"

"Do I get a say?" Lily deadpanned.

They looked at her in surprise, but before anything else could be said the Doctor popped his head over the side, looking down at them all disapprovingly as he demanded: "I'm being extremely clever up here, and there's no one to stand around looking impressed except for Rickey! What's the point in having you all?"

He disappeared again, just missing the look that crossed Lily's face. River, however, did catch it and she growled: "Couldn't you just slap him sometimes?"

Lily gave a watery chuckle, but her face was still pale and dejected. River sighed, hugging her friend and Amy begged: "River, we can't just let him die. We have to stop it."

River shook her head and Amy snapped: "Look at Lily! How can you be okay with this?"

"The Doctor's death doesn't frighten me." River answered seriously.

Lily made a noise but River continued grimly: "Nor does my own. There's a far worse day coming for me."

But her words only served to remind Lily of River's death, which she had witnessed so long ago with a different Doctor. And not only River. She closed her eyes, fighting tears once more as she thought of Rickey's death.

 _'Why must I know how every one of them dies?'_ Lily thought despairingly as River led her up to the console at last. ' _What did I do to deserve this?'_

The Doctor began as they all trudged up: "Time isn't a straight line. It's all bumpy wumpy. There's loads of boring stuff like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons."

He pulled a lever in aggravation at just the thought, before he continued brightly: "But now and then there are Saturdays. Big temporal tipping points when anything's possible."

He waltzed around the console area, saying as he passed Lily hopefully: "The Tardis can't resist them, like a moth to a flame."

His face became just slightly grimmer as Lily didn't look up, but he continued as he walked around the group: "She loves a party, so I give her 1969 and NASA, because that's space in the sixties, and Canton Everett Delaware the third, and this is," he typed into the console furiously, "where she's pointing."

He finished with a flourish, pointing to the monitor as River, Rory, and Amy crowded around. Rickey hesitated, dithering beside Lily as the woman remained in her spot, unmoving and apparently disinterested as she stared at her hands in thought.

"Washington D.C.," Amy read, "April the 8th, 1969. So why haven't we landed?"

"Because that's not where we're going." The Doctor answered, and Rory asked in confusion: "Oh. Where are we going?

"Home." The Doctor answered easily. "Well, you two are."

He nodded at the Ponds, making them all frown in confusion as he dismissed: "Off you pop and make babies. And you, Dr. Song," he pointed at River, "back to prison with your favourite prison guard."

The Doctor strode around the console as they all watched him, bewildered, as he continued lightly: "And Lily and me? Well, I'm late for a biplane lesson in 1911, and Lily, love, we can go for a spin while I apparently make up for something to you."

Lily looked up at him at last, surprise crossing her face as she noted a particular tone in his voice, while the Doctor continued: "So we can go biplane. Or it could be knitting." He rambled. "Knitting or biplanes. One or the other. Actually, let's stick with the knitting – less dangerous and more appropriate."

The Doctor sank into the Captain's chair beside the console, rubbing his eyes with his hands irritably. The others exchanged glances before they approached the Doctor carefully while Lily watched the Doctor. He sighed and looked up at them with dark eyes as they all stopped uncertainly before him.

"What?" He snapped. "A mysterious summons, you think I'm just going to go?"

The others blinked while Lily sighed internally.

"Who sent those messages?" The Doctor asked, fixing his stare on his companions as he growled: "I know you know. I can see it in your faces."

When they all hesitated, the Doctor snarled: "Don't play games with me. There is only one person I will tolerate that from, and from the way she's acting around me right now, I'd say Lily isn't the one behind this."

Lily winced, while the Doctor warned his friends darkly: "So, then it's you lot who's playing with me somehow, and let me say this: don't ever, ever think you're capable of that."

"You're going to have to trust us this time." River said at last, and the Doctor scoffed: "Trust _you_? Sure."

The Doctor stood abruptly, and he leaned down to River's height as he demanded: "But, first of all, Dr. Song, just one thing."

He glared at her as he demanded: "Who are you?"

River's jaw tightened, her expression becoming defiant.

"You're someone from my future." The Doctor snapped. "Getting that. But who?"

River didn't answer, staring back mutely and the Doctor raised a brow, asking instead: "Okay. Why are you in prison, but get your own husband to be your guard? Who did you kill, hmm?"

"Doctor." Rickey warned while River's eyes flashed in anger.

The Doctor's eyes just narrowed in retaliation and he snapped: "Now, I love the odd fun adventure, me, but trust _you_? Seriously?"

"Trust me." Lily interrupted quietly.

The Doctor turned to her, his eyes still narrowed but Lily continued: "Just this once, just listen to me, and don't ask why."

"Are you being threatened?" The Doctor demanded, his eyes flashing darkly as the Oncoming Storm began to brew dangerously within the green orbs. "Is someone making you say that?"

"No." Lily answered softly, and the Doctor examined her for one silent minute.

"Swear to me." He said suddenly, his voice softer.

His words were almost phrased as a pleading question as he murmured, his eyes searching hers anxiously: "Swear to me on something that matters."

Lily's heart was heavy as she leant up to whisper something in her husband's ear. His brow lifted fractionally, but he finally nodded.

Kissing the side of her head, the Doctor wrapped his arms around his wife as he sighed softly: "My life in your hands, my love. As always, I suppose."

Unfortunately his words only made her heart hurt more and Lily was fighting tears once more. ' _If that was true, why didn't you tell me?'_ Lily thought despairingly as she clutched the Doctor's tweed jacket. ' _Why would you leave me like that, Christo?'_

The others watched with sorrowful eyes, knowing what must be going through the poor brunette's head.

"Will you tell me someday?" The Doctor asked suddenly, quietly so no-one else could hear. "What you're hiding from me?"

Lily closed her eyes, burying her face into his chest as she whispered: "One day, you'll find out. I promise."

He nodded, before letting her go. He brushed back her hair softly, examining her as she gazed up at him. His eyes saddened as he read the pain in hers, and she could see him trying to understand what might've caused it. But he couldn't know, and she knew he would never guess. The idea that he would one day cross his own time stream wouldn't enter his head, not until he _actually_ thought about doing it.

With a sigh, Lily leaned her head into his hand as he cupped her face softly. She closed her eyes, taking a moment's comfort in his presence before she opened her eyes to meet his once more.

"Space, 1969." She reminded him, and he nodded.

The Doctor placed a gentle hand around her waist, drawing her with him as he walked back to the console, making to take them to their new destination as he addressed the group at large once more, asking: "So, Canton Everett Delaware the third. Who's he?"

Rickey had already punched the name into the Tardis, and River read the information the monitor was displaying: "Ex-FBI. Got kicked out. Ooh, I like him."

"Oi." Rickey protested, and River sent him a wink while the Doctor interrupted impatiently: "Why?"

River shrugged as she said thoughtfully: "It says here he has a problem with authority."

"I think _I_ like him." The Doctor declared, and he brightened when he saw Lily give a faint smile. It wasn't her usual smiles, but it was more than he'd gotten that day and he wasn't going to be too picky.

River meanwhile continued: "Six weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting."

"Yeah, 1969." The Doctor said thoughtfully. "Who's President?"

"Er…" Lily answered, and the Doctor raised a brow before both brows shot up as Rickey informed him: "Richard Milhous Nixon."

"Vietnam, Watergate." River listed, before adding as she looked at the Doctor: "There's some good stuff, too."

"Not enough." The Doctor muttered, and River accused: "Hippie!"

"Archaeologist." The Doctor and Rickey countered.

The Doctor glanced at Rickey, but the man just shrugged.

"You probably want to hit that lever now." Rickey added, nodding at the one on the Doctor's side.

The Doctor raised a brow, but did as Rickey said as he declared to his friends: "Okay, since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I'm being discreet. I'm putting the engines on silent."

Lily's eyes went wide as he grabbed a lever, and she began: "Wait, Doctor-"

Too late. The Doctor threw the lever, and all of them winced as a loud wail rang throughout the Tardis.

Lily threw the lever back down, while River hit another switch, making everything go silent, even as she gave Lily a meaningful look.

Lily hid a smile as the Doctor poked his head over, frowning as he asked them: "Did you do something?"

"Yes, I turned the engines on silent." Lily answered, and he nodded.

"As expected of you, love." He smiled, before dashing off as River winked at Lily cheekily.

Lily gave her a small smile, while the Doctor called: "Putting the outer shield on invisible. I haven't done this in a while. Big drain on the power."

He twirled dials and knobs while Rory asked in surprise, and sounding a little bit impressed: "You can turn the Tardis invisible?"

"Ha!" The Doctor beamed as he threw a lever.

Suddenly, bright lights turned on all around the Tardis, and Amy and Rory looked up, squinting at the brightness, while River said dryly: "Very nearly."

Rickey threw another lever, and Lily glanced at him curiously, while the Doctor came back around with a slight frown.

"Did you touch something?" He asked Rickey, puzzled to see the other man standing close to the console, but Rickey answered lightly: "No, just watching."

Lily raised a brow, before blinking as Rickey shot her a wink while River hid a laugh behind a cough as the Doctor said, none the wiser: "Oh. Good. You might learn something. Okay."

Amy and Rory stared at River and Rickey, while the Doctor tapped the Tardis scanner, before saying as he got nothing: "Now I can't check the scanner. It doesn't work when we're cloaked. Er…"

He looked over at them, before saying quickly: "Just give us a mo."

He dashed for the doors while Lily crossed her arms. Amy and Rory made to follow the Doctor but he spun around to face them, saying: "Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. You lot, wait a moment."

Amy, Rory, Lily, River, and Rickey, stood by the console as the Doctor explained while he walked closer to the Tardis doors: "We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth."

He gestured at them as he opened the door carefully, saying: "Let's take it slow."

With that, the Doctor disappeared through the door, and Amy and Rory blinked while Lily, River, and Rickey sighed.

"Wait, so we just… wait?" Rory asked, and Lily answered as she moved over to the scanner: "We could watch."

"I thought he said the scanner wouldn't work." Rory protested, but River answered with a smile: "Oh, he did. Bless."

Rory stared at her, while Rickey moved to watch from behind Lily's shoulder as she turned the scanner on.

*A/N Also, some unfortunate news: with the summer over, I'm afraid it'll be back to one update per week again starting next week! I know I'm terrible, and after missing last week, too. But, I do wish everyone a pleasant end of the holidays and good luck on the new school term!


	48. 15-3 Space 1969

The group inside the Tardis watched the Doctor slowly approach the two men currently occupying the oval office, one sitting before the President's desk while the other – clearly the President – stood staring out the office windows.

Both men had their backs to the office, which was why they hadn't spotted the Doctor, while they listened intently to a recording the President was playing for who could only be Canton Delaware the Third.

"Hello?" The President's voice called on the recording. "Who is this? This is President Nixon. Who's calling? Is this… you again?"

"Mr. President?" A young voice asked, and Canton said in surprise: "A child."

Nixon just nodded while his voice continued on the recording: "This is the President, yes."

"I'm scared, Mr. President." The child's voice, sounding like a little girl, whimpered. "I'm scared of the spaceman."

"A little girl?" Canton asked, and Nixon answered grimly: "Boy."

"How can you be sure?" Canton queried, but Nixon gestured at the recording as his voice continued: "What spaceman? Where are you phoning from? Where are you right now? Who are you?"

The Doctor started taking notes while the child answered distinctly: "Jefferson Adams Hamilton."

"Jefferson, listen to me-" Nixon began, but the child's call got cut off and the recording ended with that.

"Surely this is something the Bureau could handle, sir." Canton noted, clearly not very interested, but Nixon replied grimly: "These calls happen wherever I am. How do I know the Bureau isn't involved? I can't trust anyone-"

It was at that point that he turned around, and Nixon broke off sharply as he stared at the Doctor standing in the middle of his office. Canton – seeing the President's face – turned in his seat, before he stood up in shock as he also stared at the Doctor.

The Doctor himself, hadn't noticed his predicament yet, busy writing down in his notebook. As things became silent, he looked up and waved for the men to continue before writing back in his notebook.

It was only as the silence grew longer that the Doctor finally realized what the problem was. He slowly lifted his head to look back at the other two men who were staring at him openly, before he said in a friendly tone: "Oh. Hello."

The Doctor began to slowly back away as he added: "Bad moment."

As Nixon and Canton continued to stare at him, the Doctor looked down at the distinctive eagle symbol embroidered on the carpet floor beneath him, and he said in feigned surprise: "Oh look, this is the Oval Office. I was looking for the er," he bumped into a lamp and grabbed it quickly as he went on, "oblong room."

Nixon pressed the security button on his desk, and the Doctor said quickly: "I'll just be off, then, shall I?"

With that, he turned around… and walked face-first into the invisible Tardis.

The whole Tardis shook, and the occupants quickly grabbed onto something to steady themselves, before Rickey sighed: "Every time."

From outside, the Doctor called: "Don't worry! It always does that when its cloaked- ah!" The Doctor yelped as Canton grabbed him and wrestled him to the floor. "No! Stop that."

Meanwhile, Secret Service officers dashed into the office, the leader ordering: "Lockdown! Lockdown!"

Some of the men ran forward to 'subdue' the Doctor, who cried: "Stop that! Argh! Oh! Lily, love, have you got my scanner working yet?"

Lily sighed, while they heard one of the Secret Service shout: "Get the President out of here. Sir, you have to go with them, now."

"Oh, we can't lose him." Lily muttered, already pressing buttons as the Doctor yelled urgently: "Lily, make her blue again!"

The Tardis appeared in front of the Secret Service, visible to all once again, and Lily checked the scanner again as everyone inside the Oval office gaped at the sudden appearance of the blue police box.

"What the hell is that?" Nixon gasped, and they all naturally looked down towards the Doctor… to find him gone.

Canton whirled around and was the first to spot the Doctor, already seated at the President's desk and flipping through a file as he stated: "Mr. President-"

The Doctor looked up with a smile, which dropped instantly as every single one of the Secret Service pointed their loaded guns at him.

The Doctor, however, continued calmly and more seriously: "That child just told you everything you need to know, but you weren't listening. Never mind, though, because the answer's yes."

He clapped his hands together as he declared: "I'll take the case."

Canton pushed through to the front, staring at the Doctor pensively, while the Doctor sighed at the Secret Service: "Fellows, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States, and parked a big blue box on the rug."

He gestured at the Tardis, and Lily exchanged looks with River before they dashed for the doors as the Doctor asked cockily: "Do you think you can just shoot me?"

"They're Americans!" River reminded as she burst out of the Tardis, Lily right behind her.

Some of the Secret Service instantly turned their guns on the two women, while the Doctor's hands instantly lifted into the air in surrender as he called: "Don't shoot. Definitely no shooting."

"Don't need to shoot us either." Rory added as he, Amy, and Rickey came out of the Tardis with their hands raised as well. "Very much not in need of getting shot. Look, we've got our hands up."

River and Lily had raised their hands as well, while Nixon demanded as he stared at the Doctor: "Who the hell _are_ you?"

"Sir, you need to stay back." Canton cautioned, but Nixon protested: "But who are they, and… _what_ is that box?"

He pointed at the Tardis, and the Doctor frowned as he looked from the Tardis to Nixon.

"It's a police box. Can't you read?" The Doctor answered dismissively.

He lowered his hands carefully as he explained: "I'm your new undercover agent on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name, 'the Doctor'."

He gestured to the group by the Tardis as he added: "These are my top operatives, the Legs, the Nose, Mrs. Robinson and her husband-"

"I hate you." River grumbled, and the Doctor countered: "No, you don't. And finally, that is _my_ wife."

He said it so proudly Lily rolled her eyes, while all of the Secret Service officers frowned in confusion.

Nixon, however, was fully focused on the Doctor, and he demanded: "Who are you?"

"Nah, boring question." The Doctor dismissed, before pointing at Nixon as he said: "Who's phoning you? That's interesting, because Canton Three is right."

He pointed at Canton, who lifted a surprised brow, while the Doctor continued: "That was definitely a girl's voice, which means there's only one place in America she can be phoning from."

"Where?" Canton asked, watching the Doctor, and the leader of the Secret Service hissed: "Do not engage with the intruder, Mr. Delaware."

Lily glanced at Canton, the Doctor doing the same.

"You heard everything I heard." The Doctor suddenly addressed Canton. "It's simple enough. Give me five minutes, I'll explain. On the other hand."

Canton raised a brow again as the Doctor settled back in the President's chair casually, stating: "Lay a finger on me or my friends, and you'll never, ever know."

Canton stared at the Doctor for a moment, before he asked as he gestured at the police box: "How did you get it in here? I mean, you didn't carry it in."

He gestured to the office door to make his point, and the Doctor smirked.

"Clever, eh?" He asked nonchalantly, and Canton's lips twitched as he answered: "Love it."

"Do not compliment the intruder." The Secret Services leader said irritably, but Canton ignored the man completely as he asked the Doctor: "Five minutes?"

"Five." The Doctor nodded, and Canton grinned while the Secret Services leader said firmly: "Mr. President, that man is a clear and present danger to-"

"Mr. President," Canton interrupted, "that man _walked_ in here with a big blue box and three of his friends… and his wife."

The Doctor grinned while Lily held back a snort.

"And _that's_ the man he walked past." Canton continued, pointing at the Secret Services leader. "One of them's worth listening to. I say we give him five minutes. See if he delivers."

"Thanks, Canton." The Doctor said lightly, but Canton wasn't done.

"If he doesn't," Canton added as he looked the Doctor in the eye, "I'll shoot him myself."

Lily did snort then, while the Doctor muttered: "Not so thanks."

"Sir," the Secret Services leader insisted, "I cannot recommend-"

"Shut up, Peterson!" Nixon snapped at the man, silencing him instantly, before he turned to the Doctor.

He then glanced at Canton, and nodded, and Canton turned to the Doctor as he said: "All right, five minutes."

The Doctor sat up instantly, glancing over at his friends pointedly. The Secret Services men all lowered their guns from the group and from the Doctor while the Doctor faced Canton and the President seriously.

He glanced around at the President's desk as he listed in a deadly serious voice: "I'm going to need a SWAT team, ready to mobilise; street level maps covering all of Florida; a pot of coffee; twelve Jammie Dodgers; and a fez."

The Doctor grinned up at the men expectantly, while Lily groaned at the mention of the fez.

Rickey and River meanwhile barked out a laugh each when Canton ordered firmly: "Get him his maps."

* * *

 _Moments later_

The Doctor and Lily pored over each of the maps of Florida that they had been given, searching intently. The Doctor had removed his suit jacket, leaving it hanging on the back of one of the chairs as he wandered about the Oval office, riffling through the many, many maps.

Lily stayed near the corner of the room – if you can have a corner in an oval office – as she pored intently over a map with Rickey.

Canton was watching the Doctor, and as the Doctor shoved another map onto the President's desk, he asked: "Why Florida?"

"There's where NASA is." The Doctor explained. "She mentioned a spaceman. NASA's where the spacemen live. Also, there's another lead Lily and I are following."

Canton glanced at the brunette woman in surprise, but she ignored him as she focused on the task before her. Anything to keep her mind off the 'spaceman' that reminded her of what she had seen just hours earlier.

Suddenly, River asked aloud: "Amy?"

They all looked over at the redhead, who was clutching her stomach and looking a little strange.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked, while Lily cocked her head as she stared at Amy's hands on her stomach.

"Yeah. No, I'm… fine." Amy muttered, before she said: "I'm just feeling a little sick."

Lily frowned, and she stood up as Amy moved to ask Peterson: "Excuse me, is there a toilet or something?"

"Sorry, ma'am," Peterson answered sternly, "while this procedure's ongoing, you must remain within the Oval office."

"Shut up and take her to the restroom." Canton ordered impatiently, and Peterson gave the other man a look but gestured to one of his men to escort Amy.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Lily asked, concerned, and Amy shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." She muttered as she followed the agent out. Lily watched her go worriedly, before she turned back to the maps as Rory made to follow his wife anyway.

However, Peterson stopped him, and Rory shot the man a dirty look but stayed in the office as Lily picked up another map.

Canton had turned back to the Doctor, and he commented: "Your five minutes are up."

"Yeah, and where's my fez?" The Doctor countered.

Canton's lips twitched again, but he left them alone as the Doctor, Lily, Rickey, and River continued to search the maps. There was a few minutes silence as they worked while Rory wandered around, a little lost if he was honest.

But that changed when the telephone on the President's desk suddenly rang.

The whole room turned to look at the phone, though the Doctor and his group soon turned back to their respective maps.

"The kid?" Canton queried, and Nixon looked at the group anxiously from his seat at his desk.

"Should I answer it?" Nixon asked, when Rickey suddenly called: "Doctor."

He came over instantly to where Lily had suddenly pointed on the map she and Rickey had been skimming. The Time Lord took the map from Lily as he looked at where she was indicating on the map, before he grinned.

"Yes." He murmured, before he quickly explained as Canton also came over curiously: "The only place in the United States that call could be coming from. See?"

He jabbed at the map, and Canton peered at it while the Doctor added smugly; "Obvious, when you think about it."

Lily looked over as she heard the door to the office open, and she noted with relief that Amy was looking better as the redhead returned to the group, while Canton looked at the Doctor as he breathed: "You, sir, are a genius."

"It's a hobby – one that my wife shares with me." The Doctor answered, grinning and giving Lily a wink. She had to smile at that, and even Canton's lips curved up into a small grin of amusement.

"Mr. President," Rickey chimed in as he brought their attention back to the situation, "you should probably answer the phone."

Nixon's face turned grim, while the others also became serious – well, the Doctor tried – as the President of the U.S. picked up the received on his telephone. He once again switched on the recording machine as he called: "Hello. This is President Nixon."

"It's here!" The girl said urgently, her tone panicked and afraid. "The spaceman's here! It's going to get me! It's going to eat me like it ate him!"

Lily's face grew very serious, and she rushed for the Tardis as the Doctor grabbed his tweed jacket, saying to the Americans: "There's no time for a SWAT team."

He called to his companions as he too hurried towards the Tardis: "Let's go. And Mr. President," he turned to Nixon, "tell her help's on the way."

The Doctor turned to Canton last as he finished while Lily disappeared into the Tardis, followed by the other companions: "Canton, on no account follow me into this box," he pointed to the Tardis, "and close the door behind you."

The Doctor ran in last behind the others, not closing the door as Canton called after them: "What the hell are you doing?"

Lily was already at the console, getting ready to take them off, as the Doctor rushed over to join her while Canton ran into the Tardis. The man froze, unable to move, as the door swung shut behind him while he stared mutely around the Tardis.

Rory stayed nearby, watching the man sympathetically while Amy, River, and Rickey were crowded around Lily and the Doctor as the Doctor took over the driving, saying as he did: "Jefferson isn't a girl's name. It's not her name either. Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. Anyone?"

"Surnames of three of America's founding fathers." River answered instantly, and the Doctor mused randomly: "Lovely fellows. Two of them fancied me."

"Even the bowtie?" Lily teased, and the Doctor scoffed: "Of course they _would_ have; but this was a long time ago. A few faces ago, in fact."

"That sounds funny no matter how many times I hear it." Amy laughed, making them all grin.

Rory meanwhile watched Canton as the American man continued to gape around the Tardis as he tried to make sense of the size inside the police box, and Rory asked cautiously: "Are you okay? Coping?"

Canton just mouthed wordlessly. Lily finally glanced the man's way, worried that he was going to be too overwhelmed – while it was fine for the Doctor to have his fun sometimes, she didn't want to cause Canton to faint or something. Though, if she were honest, Lily doubted that would be the case – something about Canton struck her as very distinct, the same way each of the companions to the Doctor had.

She wondered if that was what the Doctor felt each time he picked a new companion, thinking to herself while the Doctor continued to run about the console as he went on explaining: "You see, the President asked the child two questions. 'Where are you' and 'who are you'? She was answering _where_."

River and Rickey nodded while Amy grinned excitedly as she waited for the Doctor to finish explaining. Canton meanwhile finally managed to breathe out: "It's bigger on the inside."

"Yeah, you get used to it." Rory sighed, while the Doctor continued as he drove the Tardis: "Now, where would you find three big, historical names in a row like that?"

"Where?" Amy asked, unable to contain her excited smile, and the Doctor grinned back.

"Here." He answered as he pulled a lever and landed the Tardis. "Come on!"

The Doctor dashed ahead towards the door, though he stopped in front of Canton in feigned surprise to see the American agent inside his Tardis.

Lily shook her head at his childish entertainment with her own amusement, as Canton began: "It's er-"

"Are you taking care of this?" The Doctor asked Rory, but he didn't wait for an answer as he pushed open the doors and ran out.

Lily patted Rory's arm with feigned sympathy as she followed the Doctor out, Rickey and River coming up behind while Rory complained: "Why is it always my turn?"

"Because you're the newest." Amy answered as she kissed Rory's cheek before walking out of the Tardis as well.

Meanwhile, Lily told the Doctor as they walked about the abandoned old warehouse office they had landed inside: "You are _such_ a showoff."

"You married me, love." He reminded with a grin as he settled down into a dusty chair behind the office desk.

River and Rickey were wandering about the room, walking hand-in-hand as they examined the cluttered room while Amy asked as she joined them: "Where are we?"

"About five miles from Cape Kennedy Space Centre." The Doctor answered nonchalantly while Lily moved over to the desk. "It's 1969, the year of the moon. Interesting, don't you think?"

Lily picked up the receiver on the telephone she'd spotted on the desk, testing it and then checking the wiring as Amy asked with a puzzled frown: "But why would a little girl be here?"

"I don't know." The Doctor answered while Lily put the receiver on the phone down. "Lost me a bit."

He stood up again, rambling as he walked towards the covered windows: "The President asked the girl where she was, and she did what any lost little girl would do."

The Doctor pulled back the blinds as he revealed: "She looked out of the window."

Amy peered outside to see the three signposts right outside the window, and she realized: "Streets."

The redhead stared at the street names: 'Hamilton Av, Jefferson St and Adams St', and she murmured: "Of course, street names."

The Doctor agreed: "The only place in Florida, probably all of America, with those three street names on the same junction. And Lily, love," he suddenly turned around to address the brunette woman, "you've got that face again."

"What face?" Lily asked, raising a brow, and the Doctor grinned: "The 'he's hot when he's clever' face."

"I'm not making any face, this is just my normal face." Lily answered lightly, and the Doctor winked: "Yes, exactly."

"Oh, hush." Lily chuckled, and the Doctor replied: "Only if you really want me to."

"The flirting again." River complained, but Rickey pointed out calmly: "You can't really talk."

River stuck her tongue out at her husband, just as Rory and Canton emerged from the Tardis as well.

"We've moved." The American agent said in shock. "How, how can we have moved?"

"You haven't even got to space travel yet?" The Doctor asked Rory incredulously, making Canton's jaw drop while Rory answered in an annoyed tone: "I was going to cover it with time travel."

"Time travel." Canton repeated, looking at Rory in complete disbelief.

Lily laughed lightly, her eyes shining with amusement as the Doctor turned away from the two men, walking to loop his arm around Lily's shoulder as he led the way out into the warehouse while he called over his shoulder: "Brave heart, Canton. Come on."

They hadn't made it quite far enough that they couldn't hear Canton, and Lily suppressed a smile as Canton stated: "So we're in a box that's bigger on the inside, and it travels through time and space."

"Yeah, basically." Rory answered, and Lily let out a laugh despite herself as they heard Canton ask: "How long have Scotland Yard had this?"

The Doctor was also smiling widely, unable to completely hide his amusement, and River whispered to the pair: "You're enjoying this too much."

"Life is meant to be fun." The Doctor answered. "And besides, good old Canton's being a jolly good sport about the whole thing."

"I'm surprised you let the Doctor do this." River noted, looking at Lily, who smiled as she challenged lightly: "Aren't you also enjoying it?"

"Oh, Sweetie, of _course_ I am." River answered, making the trio chuckle.

However, as they got deeper into the warehouse, they refocused on the situation and Lily's face grew grimmer as they looked for the little girl who was nowhere to be found.

"You do realise this is almost certainly a trap, of course?" Rickey suddenly commented, and the Doctor nodded.

"I noticed the phone when Lily looked it over, yes." He answered, and River confirmed: "So did I."

"What about it?" Amy asked curiously as she joined the four, and Lily explained quietly: "The wire was cut off."

Amy still didn't get it, so Lily elaborated: "So, how did the little girl phone the President from here?"

"Okay," Amy said slowly, "but why would anyone want to trap us?"

The Doctor just smiled, and he commented: "Let's see if anyone tries to kill us and work backwards."

As they made their way into another warehouse room, River asked slowly: "Now, why would a little girl be here?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted in the same thoughtful tone. "Let's find her and ask her."

The group walked carefully further into the room, Rory and Canton trailing far behind, when they spotted a strange machine in the middle of the room, lit by an almost surgical-looking light.

"It's nonterrestrial." Rickey noted as they walked closer to what looked like a medical cot with wires hanging all around the top and a control panel situated behind it.

"Definitely alien." River agreed. "Probably not even from this time zone."

"Which is odd," the Doctor commented as he suddenly spotted something in the corner of the room and dashed towards it, "because look at this!"

The Doctor pulled a crate stuffed with several white astronaut suits out of the corner, all of them complete with a gold visor on the helmets.


	49. 15-4 Mystery Girl?

Lily paled and Amy froze, while River said in surprise: "It's earth tech. It's contemporary."

"For this time period." Rickey amended, and the Doctor agreed: "It's _very_ contemporary. Cutting edge."

He examined the helmet as he concluded: "This is from the space program."

"They stole it?" Lily asked, frowning, and Amy repeated incredulously: "Who, the aliens?"

"Apparently." The Doctor answered, still examining the helmet, and Amy asked in complete confusion: "But why? I mean, if you can make it all the way to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?"

"Maybe because it's cooler?" The Doctor joked as he stuck the helmet on his head and lifted the visor. "Look how cool this stuff is."

Lily blanched at seeing the Doctor in the same astronaut suit that had killed him in his future. Rickey – perhaps sensing her distress – placed a kind hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze before he let go and wandered to look at the medical cot again while Amy scoffed: "Cool aliens?"

"Well, what would you call me?" The Doctor asked with a shrug and a confident swagger, which dropped as Amy deadpanned: "An alien."

"Oi!" The Doctor said sharply, and Amy amended: "Oh, sorry – a _married_ alien."

"Well, that is slightly better." The Doctor muttered, though he shot first Amy and then Lily strange looks at Amy's tone. There had been something there… something almost accusing…

"I, er, I think he's okay now." Rory called, pointing at Canton as the pair finally rejoined them inside the room.

"Ah!" The Doctor called cheerfully, turning to face Canton while Amy and Lily exchanged looks. "Back with us, Canton."

The Doctor made his way over to Canton, while Amy reached over and squeezed Lily's hand tightly. Lily held on tightly, needing the support at the moment, as she turned away to look for a distraction.

She paused, cocking her head as she saw Rickey and River conversing over the medical cot, which was covered in something slimy, and Lily made her way over with Amy trailing behind her.

"What is that?" Lily asked as she approached the other couple, and River looked up while Rickey explained: "We're trying to see if we can identify which planet it came from. It might help explain why these aliens – whoever they are – are here."

Lily nodded, when Amy suddenly blurted out: "River-"

"I know what you're thinking." River interrupted, clearly not wanting to discuss whatever it was Amy was thinking about.

The redhead frowned while Lily cocked her head curiously.

"No, you don't." Amy insisted, and Lily grimaced as River said monotonously: "You're thinking if we can find the spaceman in 1969 and neutralise it, then it won't be around in 2011 to kill the Doctor."

Amy paused, before she muttered: "Okay, lucky guess."

"It's only because I was thinking it too." River answered, and Amy said impatiently: "So let's do it."

"It wouldn't work." Lily answered, and Amy glared at her friend.

"I thought you'd want to save the Doctor more than anyone." Amy retorted, but Lily pointed out quietly: "He trusted us when he had us witness his death. He needed us to know the truth, but also to pass on the message to this Doctor, our Doctor."

Amy glanced at the Doctor, who was wandering around the other side of the room with Canton, before looking at Rickey as the man explained: "We came here because of what we saw in the future. If we try and prevent the future from happening, we create a paradox."

"Time can be rewritten." Amy retorted firmly, but River said softly: "Not all of it."

"Says who?" Amy demanded, and Rickey answered with a raised brow: "Who do you think?"

He jerked his head once towards the Doctor as he added in a low mutter: "Him with his four hundred and nine rules."

"What?" Lily asked blankly, but Rickey shook his head while River murmured as she spotted something else: "What's this?"

Lily looked down at what River was staring at, and she frowned at the covered manhole not far from where they were standing where she could see the wires from the cot led down.

River knelt down beside the manhole as Rickey called: "Doctor? Look at this."

The Time Lord came over, standing over River as they all peered at her where River was heaving off the metal cover to reveal a tunnel below.

"So where does that go?" The Doctor asked, while River held out her mini computer over the hole, and the blonde woman answered: "There's a network of tunnels running under here."

"Life signs?" The Doctor checked, and River answered: "No, nothing that's showing up."

Lily pursed her lips while the Doctor sighed: "Those are the worst kind."

"Agreed." Lily muttered, just as River moved to prepare to go down the ladder on the side of the manhole.

"Be careful." The Doctor warned, and River laughed: "Careful? I tried that _once_. Ever so dull."

The Doctor raised a brow, but he added just in case: "Shout if you get in trouble."

"Don't worry," River answered as she winked at her husband, "Rickey can tell you that I'm quite the screamer."

The Doctor raised both brows while Lily coughed, choking on air at River's revelation. Rickey didn't look fazed – apparently, he was too used to River's less than subtle comments – while Canton asked a little desperately: "Tell me what's going on here."

"I'm beginning to think Dr. Song is either brilliant or mad, or both." The Doctor said slowly, and Lily chuckled when Rickey noted: "And that's a big thing coming from _him_."

Canton stared, and Rory interjected helpfully: "I think he's talking about the possible alien incursion."

"Oh." The Doctor said in surprise, and Canton asked them seriously: "So, I was in a bar having a drink. Tell me, honestly, Am I still there?"

"Sorry." Lily said a bit sheepishly. "But no, I'm afraid not."

Canton stared at her, before they all looked down in surprise as River abruptly returned, pulling herself up rather hastily.

"River?" Lily asked, noting something odd about the blonde's expression, but River's face had returned to normal as she answered firmly: "All clear. Just tunnels. Nothing down there I can see."

She hesitated however, and the Doctor frowned as he also picked up on something strange about the woman's behaviour.

"Er, give me five minutes." River requested suddenly. "I want to take another look around."

"I'll go with you." Lily said suddenly, and River looked at her in surprise while the Doctor said: "No, it could be dangerous."

"I was fine for Christmas, I'll be fine now." Lily reassured as she walked over to the manhole. "Don't worry, I'll also shout if I feel there's anything dangerous."

"Now you're just asking for trouble." Rickey commented, and Lily smiled.

"I've already got trouble." The brunette answered as she followed River down. "He's looking at you right now."

The Doctor and Rickey looked at each other, before the former sighed as the latter snorted.

"Rory," the Doctor called as he looked over at said man, "would you mind going with Lily?"

"Yeah, a bit." Rory answered flatly, but the Doctor returned calmly: "Then I'd appreciate it all the more."

Rory sighed, but he called down resignedly: "Hang on, Lily; River. I'm coming too."

The two women waited at the bottom of the ladder leading into the tunnel, River holding a torch that she'd pulled from her hip-pouch though she was still looking a little spooked.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked in concern, and River answered quickly: "Oh, yes. Yes, I just felt a bit sick. It's the prison food, probably."

Lily frowned but nodded, not pressing the topic as River handed her a torch while Rory joined them below.

"This way?" River suggested, pointing to their right as she handed Rory a torch as well, and Lily nodded in agreement.

Together, the trio moved down the tunnels, shining their lights cautiously ahead as they made their way slowly deeper into the underground network.

"What do you think?" River asked, and Rory commented: "I keep thinking I hear things."

"Me too." Lily agreed with a frown, certain she'd heard something just now and yet… no, she was certain she hadn't. But she had.

"That's interesting." River commented as they walked further in. "These tunnels are old. Really old. How can they be really old and nobody notice them?"

Neither Lily nor Rory answered, mostly because they didn't have an answer either, and so the trio simply walked on in silence for a while.

"Lily, what did you tell the Doctor earlier?" Rory asked at last, his curiosity getting the better of him. And just needing to break the creepy silence. "When you asked him to trust you."

Lily glanced at him, giving him a long look before she sighed.

"I was hoping for a better time to tell you and Amy." She admitted. "And you too, River."

River nodded, waiting, and Lily said softly: "I'm pregnant."

* * *

 _One week ago_

 _Christmas Night_

"Third, Doctor, is a question." Lily informed the Doctor, smiling slightly at his confused expression. He waited patiently, however, with the small smile still playing on his lips, as Lily took a deep breath.

"Christo…" he cocked his head at her use of his 'name', "how do you feel… about being a father again?"

* * *

 _Present_

"What?!" Rory gasped, only to have his mouth covered instantly as River clamped her hand over his mouth while she hissed warningly: "SH!"

"'orry." Rory mumbled through River's hand, and Lily breathed a sigh of relief as she glanced around.

"No harm done, I think." She said as nothing stirred or happened around them. Just more darkness and silence.

"How far are you?" Rory asked curiously while River hugged Lily and whispered her congratulations - and a smug, "Congratulations… and I _so_ knew it".

"Six weeks." Lily answered. "I only found out just over a week ago; it was quite the Christmas surprise. For both me, and the Doctor."

"Oh, I bet he took it well." River chuckled.

* * *

 _One week ago_

"Um… Doctor?" Lily asked in concern as the Doctor remained frozen, that small smile from before stuck on his face and unable to move as the Doctor stood in shock while he reeled internally. "Doctor? … Are you all right? Christo?"

* * *

 _Present_

"I knew it." River sniggered. "That man is such a child sometimes."

"That statement wasn't contrary at all." Rory commented dryly, while Lily went on lightly: "Yeah, it took quite some time to get him to focus again. Though, I also wish he'd stayed frozen because he was so loud afterward, it made my head spin."

"That's what he said." River teased, and Lily elbowed her while Rory shook his head at the blonde woman.

* * *

 _One week ago_

"You're… pregnant?" The Doctor repeated faintly at last, and Lily nodded worriedly.

"I found out earlier today," she explained, "when I realized my period was late by about two-and-a-half weeks. The whole time-travelling and universe-rebooting made it kind of difficult to keep track of my cycle."

"And you're positive?" The Doctor asked, and Lily answered with a tentative smile: "Yes, I'm 'positive'. I took a test, and even had the Tardis run a scan."

The Doctor glanced distractedly at the console, before looking back at Lily as she admitted softly: "I wanted to surprise you over Christmas dinner – that was before Amy sent us a distress call of course."

The Doctor nodded slowly, and Lily asked carefully: "Are you… okay with that?"

"Okay?" The Doctor repeated as his lips widened in a smile. "Oh, love."

He drew her carefully into his arms, and Lily relaxed as the Doctor kissed her before he drew back to stare at her with soft green eyes.

"I thought nothing could be better than finally having you as my wife." The Doctor murmured as he pressed his forehead against Lily's. "But this, love, is the best gift I could have asked for."

Lily smiled, and she brought her hands up to touch his face as she murmured softly, staring up into his eyes where unshed happy tears sparkled: "We're going to be a family."

* * *

 _Present_

"Well, congratulations anyways." Rory said to Lily warmly. "You and the Doctor deserve it, after all you two have been through. Although, now I can see why earlier…"

Lily nodded as Rory trailed off tactfully, and they let the subject of Lily's complete breakdown drop there.

The trio lapsed into silence once more as they walked further down the tunnel.

River spotted a metal door on the side, and she grinned triumphantly as she went to try it while Rory noted slowly: "It's a maintenance hatch."

"It's locked." River muttered, pushing off the door handle irritably. "Oh, why do people always lock things?"

"To keep people from looking?" Rory tried, and Lily noted: "Or to keep bad things out. Or in."

"Ooh, I like the sound of that." River commented as she pressed her ear to the door while her mini computer scanned the lock.

"You're going to open it, aren't you?" Lily sighed – River was so similar to the Doctor sometimes, it was almost scary.

"Well, it's locked." River pointed out as she winked at Lily. "How's a girl supposed to resist?"

Yes, she was _definitely_ too similar to the Doctor.

"Is this sensible?" Rory asked tentatively as River worked on unlocking the door, and River answered with a small grin: "God, I hope not."

"Just leave her." Lily advised Rory with a sigh. "There's no talking her out now – best to just keep a lookout."

"Atta girl, Lily, that's the spirit." River grinned, and Lily added: "Just know I'll be sure to tell the Doctor it was your fault if we end up having to run for our lives while I'm pregnant."

"Okay, not the spirit." River muttered, but she carried on working anyway while Rory and Lily kept a careful watch on their surroundings.

"What did you mean?" Rory piped up suddenly as he looked at River. "What you said to Amy. There's a worst day coming for you."

River paused at that, and she glanced up at Rory and then at Lily with the most serious expression on her face that Lily had ever seen – and that was something, given they'd just seen the Doctor die and that Lily had seen the blonde woman's face when she'd…

Lily shook the thoughts from her head, and she looked back on River as the woman asked quietly: "You know that the Doctor and Lily never meet Rickey and I in the same order?"

"Yeah, Amy's explained that about you…" Rory said slowly, and River explained: "Well, when Rickey and I first met the Doctor and you," she nodded at Lily, "a long, long time ago for us, you knew all about us."

She sighed, before she went on: "It… was incredible. We were young, impressionable, and suddenly there you two were. A mad man with a box, clever and wonderful; and a woman just as clever but kind and so… warm. You two seemed perfect – and you knew everything about us."

River looked up at Lily and then Rory as she said softly: "But, the trouble is, that it's all back to front. My past… is your future. And every time we meet you, we know more about you while you know us less."

River nodded at Lily as she said: "You think it's hard for us now to live after we've seen the Doctor die? I'd bet anything that Lily already knows something of my future that she can't tell me."

Lily's heart clenched while Rory started at that. He glanced at Lily in surprise and with a small thoughtful frown, while River went on quietly: "There was a day in my past when I didn't know the Doctor and Lily. And I know the day will come - that the day _is_ coming – when I'll look into your eyes, my Doctor and my Lily, and you won't have the faintest idea who I am."

Lily bit her lip as she willed herself to continue to meet River's eyes, but her resolve faltered when River finished in a whisper: "And I think it's going to kill me."

Thankfully, perhaps because she sensed she shouldn't and couldn't know, River looked at Rory as she finished before she looked back at the door she was working on as it unlocked.

"Oh, yes." River grinned, back to her exuberant self while Rory squeezed Lily's shoulder as the brunette took a deep breath. "Now, let's see what's inside here."

River began opening the door while Lily nodded to Rory's silent question if she was all right, and he let her go. Together, the trio turned their attention back on the door as River swung it open to reveal the inside of the equivalent of a computer room in an alien base of some sort.

There was the faint hum of machinery as River led the way in carefully, Lily following behind her while Rory brought up the rear.

"What is this place?" Rory asked slowly, when River reached the middle of the room and a strange, dull ringing noise sounded.

"That's an alarm." River muttered. "Check if anything's coming."

"I'll go with you-" Lily began, but Rory waved her back as he answered: "You're pregnant – I'll look."

"I'm pregnant, not useless." Lily muttered, but she let Rory scout outside the door as the nurse warned: "You don't want to accidentally cause any harm do you?"

Rory peered outside, and Lily turned back to River as the blonde murmured: "I wonder…"

Lily came over to watch as River took out her mini computer again, while Rory called from the doorway: "There's nothing out there."

"What are you getting?" Lily asked River, who explained with a frown as she scanned the alien machines: "These tunnels, they're not just here, they're everywhere. They're running under the surface of the entire planet. They've been here for centuries."

"So how did no-one notice them before?" Lily wondered, when suddenly a bright light began to flicker onto them.

They all turned towards the source, which was coming from the doorway behind Rory, and both Lily and River's eyes widened in alarm while Rory stared in terror at the alien – no, _aliens_ \- behind him.

"Rory!" Lily and River yelled.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the warehouse above, the Doctor ran after Canton and Rickey, towards a young child's terrified cries for help.

Amy followed behind him, clutching her stomach and catching up just as the Doctor found Canton unconscious in the middle of a different room in the warehouse, the agent's cocked pistol lying beside the man's limp hand. Rickey lay beside the agent, also out cold.

"Canton! Rickey!" The Doctor gasped, leaning down to check on the agent first. "Canton, are you okay?"

"Are they all right?" Amy gasped as neither man moved, but the Doctor reassured distractedly: "Just unconscious. Got a proper whack."

He moved to check Rickey, when Amy insisted, still clutching her stomach: "Doctor, I need to tell you something. I have to tell you it now."

"Not a great moment." The Doctor pointed out as he checked Rickey's pulse, but Amy pleaded: "No, it's important. It _has_ to be now."

"Help!" The child's voice cried again from somewhere in the dark warehouse, echoing strangely and distorting it slightly. "Help!"

The Doctor started to turn, searching for the source of the sound, when Amy knelt down in front of him quickly and she blurted out at last: "Doctor, I'm pregnant."

The Doctor's brows drew in and his eyes searched Amy's as the redhead stared at him seriously.

But they were interrupted once more as heavy footsteps sounded from somewhere to the side, accompanied by heavy, masked breathing. Amy turned to look behind her while the Doctor looked over Amy's shoulder. But he stood in surprise as a white astronaut with its golden visor down over its face appeared around the corner of the room, followed by another right behind.

"That's them." Amy murmured in shock where she still knelt on the ground by Canton's side, while the Doctor stood above them. "The astronauts."

The Doctor didn't really hear her as he stared at the astronauts, both of whom had stopped in the doorway, still breathing heavily through their masks. The one in front lifted its hand and pointed at the Doctor, while the other remained still behind its twin though it too faced the Doctor.

Amy's eyes went wide with terror, before she remembered Canton's dropped gun on the ground and she turned to dive for it just as the two astronauts opened their visors.

And the Doctor's eyes widened as he saw a frightened little girl in the spacesuit at the back, while a terrified little boy stared at him from the inside of the spacesuit aiming its hand right at him.

"Help me!" The little girl pleaded while the boy cried out: "Help us!"

"Get down!"

The Doctor started at Amy's desperate order, and he turned to see her grabbing Canton's gun.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor cried in alarm, and Amy replied as she got to her feet, spinning around with the gun already pointed in front of her: "Saving your life!"

"NO!" The Doctor cried, but Amy had already fired before she even clearly saw the astronauts.

And Amy screamed when she saw the little boy and girl staring back at her from inside the spacesuits.


	50. 16-1 Day of the Moon

_Three months later_

Lily was breathing heavily, clutching her stomach, and River coached even as the blonde looked around warily: "Breathe."

"Breathing got old a long time ago." Lily hissed, but River instructed firmly: "Breathe!"

Lily took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, while River peered around the construction.

"Can you hear that?" River asked, and Lily nodded as she heard the faint snarling though the noise sounded almost strangled.

"Yeah."

"Come on." River muttered as she took them slowly around another corner, deeper along the hallway that was mostly covered with construction sheets.

"River!" Lily gasped as they found themselves faced by two aliens with bald heads, slimy skin, large empty eyes, and wearing dark suits.

The aliens made their strange snarling noise as River said firmly: "I see you."

Lily marked two tallies on her arm with a black marker as River did the same, both adding to the many marks already on their skin, as they stared down the aliens before them.

"We see you." Lily said in a low voice as she stared at the aliens, when suddenly Canton's voice called from behind: "Dr. Song? Mrs. Tyler?"

The pair gasped, whirling around towards the sound as Canton continued: "Dr. Song? Mrs. Tyler?"

Lily and River glanced back, thinking they had been staring at something there just a moment before. Looking down at her arm, Lily saw the extra two marks on her arm and she looked back at River grimly.

The blonde matched her look, before the pair turned and dashed off.

"Go, go, go!" Canton shouted as he and his men ran after the two women, River's long evening dress and Lily's heavier stomach making them much slower than the FBI agents chasing them.

They soon reached the edge of the construction floor, and River and Lily stopped at the edge of a yet uncovered window on top of the tall New York skyscraper, turning back to face Canton as the man appeared with his men to cut them off from all escape routes.

"Don't move." Canton warned them as his men cocked their guns at the two women. "It's over."

"Canton, do you even remember why you're here?" Lily demanded. "What happened at the warehouse?"

* * *

 _Three months earlier_

The Doctor dragged a recovering Canton with him as he yelled for Amy to come with him. Rickey stumbled after him, barely able to keep on his feet while the astronauts – unharmed by the bullet thanks to whatever strengthening material the aliens had used over the astronaut suit – continued to aim for the Doctor.

The suit with the little boy had stopped moving, the boy's face going red as he did whatever he was doing to stop his suit. The little girl's suit however, had moved forward, as though coming after them, and the Doctor urged the others to run with him as they escaped.

Their path led them back to the manhole Lily and the others had gone down, and the Doctor was both relieved and alarmed to see Lily, then River, and finally Rory racing up out of the manhole.

"Run!" Lily yelled at them as she looked back and remembered what was chasing her. She grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him with her as she raced off towards the Tardis, keeping one eye behind her to remind herself why they were running.

"What the hell's going on?" Canton demanded as he paused, now that he was no longer being physically pulled along, and the Doctor shouted back: "Look behind you!"

"There's nothing behind me!" Canton argued, but the Doctor urged: "Look!"

Amy was screaming while River took Lily and forced the woman to keep running, and the Doctor shouted as he pointed behind Canton: "Canton, look!"

Canton turned, before he gaped as he saw the tall, thin alien behind him.

"Now, run!" The Doctor yelled as the alien began to drain the electricity around them, gathering the energy in a ball in its long-fingered hands.

"Run!"

* * *

 _In the present_

Canton lifted a brow in response, and River urged: "They're here, Canton."

She leveled a serious look at the agent as she warned: "They're everywhere."

"I know." Canton replied shortly. "America's being invaded."

"You were _invaded_ a long time ago." River shot back. "America is occupied."

"As is the rest of the world." Lily pleaded, but Canton just shook his head at them.

"You're coming with us, Mrs. Tyler and Dr. Song." Canton stated sternly. "There's no way out this time."

Lily pressed her lips together in defiance while River straightened her back.

"Rule number two." Lily informed the agents before them, and River concluded for her darker-haired friend: "There's _always_ a way out."

Canton cocked his head questioningly, before he jerked in surprise as Lily and then River dropped backwards out the window. He raced over to peer over the edge, watching the falling women only briefly before he turned away.

* * *

 _Area 51_

The Doctor peered at the wall that the FBI was building around him, using black, sleek bricks. He leant as far forward in his chair as his chains would allow him while also wishing his arms were free of the straitjacket so he could give his scruffy, bearded chin a nice scratch.

"We found Lily Tyler and Dr. Song." Canton informed him, the agent standing behind the Doctor and behind the raised platform the Doctor was behind held in the centre of.

The platform was made of the same black, sleek material as the bricks, and the Doctor peered with more interest at the cage being steadily constructed around him than at Canton's words.

"These bricks, what are they made of?" The Doctor asked, and Canton asked with a raised brow: "You're not curious as to where your pregnant wife is?"

"Where is she, then?" The Doctor asked, not even looking away from the bricks he was examining so intently.

"She and Dr. Song ran." Canton answered, watching the Doctor's back. "Off the fiftieth floor."

"I'd say zero balance dwarf star alloy." The Doctor declared, again ignoring Canton's comments. "The densest material in the universe. Nothing gets through that. You're building me the perfect prison."

The Time Lord turned to face Canton at last, and he said with a grim smile: "And it still won't be enough."

* * *

A few hours later, when the cell was completed to create a perfect, inescapable cube, Canton returned.

"Is there a reason you're doing this?" The Doctor queried casually as he watched Canton's men drag in three black body bags.

"I want you to know where you stand." Canton replied, and the Doctor quipped without missing a beat: "In a cell."

"In the perfect cell." Canton corrected as his men filed out now that their job was done. "Nothing can penetrate these walls. Not a sound," Canton activated the button to seal the door, "not a radio wave, not the tiniest particle of anything."

The door slid shut as Canton continued: "In here, you're literally cut off from the rest of the universe."

The door sealed itself as Canton had said, creating the perfect space so that no-one could get out. Or in.

"So I guess they can't hear us, right?" Canton smirked, and the Doctor murmured: "Good work, Canton. Door sealed?"

"You bet." Canton confirmed, and the Doctor stood, shaking off his shackles and pulling off his straitjacket.

At the same time, the three body bags sat up, their inhabitants gasping for breath audibly from inside.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor checked as he unzipped Rory's bag, while Canton helped Amy out of hers and Rickey managed to find a way to unzip his all on his own from inside his bag.

"Finally." Amy breathed, inhaling deeply, and Rory added: "These things could _really_ do with air holes."

"Never had a complaint before." Canton answered calmly, and Rickey answered: "Well, there are firsts for everything."

Canton allowed another small smile as the Doctor stretched himself out, while Amy asked skeptically: "Isn't it going to look odd that you're staying in here with us?"

"Odd, but not alarming." Canton replied with a shrug. "They know there's no way out of this place."

"Exactly." The Doctor agreed. "Whatever they might think we're doing in here, they know we're not going anywhere."

He finished stretching himself out before leaning to the side casually towards what appeared to be thin air… before the Doctor hit something solid that kept him propped up.

Amy grinned, while the Doctor snapped his fingers and the Tardis doors flung open.

"Shall we?" The Doctor asked with a smile, and Amy then Rory bounded over.

"What about Mrs. Tyler and Dr. Song?" Canton piped up as he ran in after Rickey who had gone into the Tardis next, and the Doctor's smile only widened. "They dove off a rooftop."

"I know." The Doctor answered as he ran in last, slamming the doors shut behind him before he ran up to the console. "River's not a terribly good influence on my wife, but what can you do?"

The Doctor took them off without waiting for an answer, and he added loudly: "Amy, Rory, Rickey - open all the doors to the swimming pool!"

* * *

 _New York_

River wrapped her arms around Lily, protecting the younger woman's stomach as they both streamlined their bodies perfectly.

"Breathe, just like we practiced!" River shouted above the wind whistling passed, and Lily didn't bother to answer as they fell right through the open Tardis doors, landing with a loud splash deep inside.

* * *

"So, we know they're everywhere." The Doctor declared as both Lily and River re-entered the console room, towel-drying their hair now that they had changed into drier clothes.

Rory checked Lily over quickly, his inner nurse needing to confirm she and her baby were fine, while the Doctor continued as he dashed about the console: "Not just a landing party - an occupying force."

Lily waved Rory off at the same time that she threw a lever for the Doctor while he finished: "And they have been here a very, very long time. But nobody knows that, because no one can remember them."

He stopped beside Lily, adding: "Thank you, love."

He kissed her cheek as he spoke and Lily made a face as his scruffy beard scratched her, which the Doctor ignored as he added: "And she's fine, Rory, the Tardis would have picked up if she wasn't."

Rory asked, while Canton piped up: "So, what are they up to then if they've been here that long?"

"No idea." The Doctor answered as he started pushing buttons and pulling levers around the console again. "But the good news is," he landed them, "we've got a secret weapon."

River raised a brow at that while Canton looked surprised as the Doctor raced out delightedly.

"Come on." Lily called to the others as she followed her husband out, to find they had parked right outside Kennedy Space Centre.

And there, right in the middle of the space centre docked against its support on the launch pad, was the famous Saturn V rocket itself.

"Apollo 11's your secret weapon?" River asked in disbelief as she and all the others also came piling out of the Tardis.

"No, no. It's not Apollo 11." The Doctor scoffed. "That would be silly."

River nodded slightly, mollified, before she paused as the Doctor finished blithely: "It's Neil Armstrong's foot."

Lily's lips tugged up into a small smile as she glanced at the Doctor while River shot the Doctor a look that was somewhere between annoyed and admiring, and Rickey actually laughed aloud.

* * *

 _Later that night_

Canton drove carefully up the driveway towards the large mansion, his eyes as way as Lily's as the latter peered through the rain pattering down on the front windshield and up towards the Graystark Hall Orphanage.

 **"** In just a few days, mankind will set foot on the Moon for the first time." The radio played as they drew up before the building. "Today, the President reaffirmed America's commitment-"

The radio clicked off as Canton shut down the car, the silence deafening as the noise of the engines cut.

Amy took a deep breath from her seat in the back of the car, while Lily and Canton exchanged looks.

"Ready?" He asked, and Lily nodded.

"Ready." She murmured, before glancing back at Amy as she added: "Check?"

Amy lifted up her palm, checking her hand and her wrist.

"Clear." She answered, speaking clearly into her palm, and Lily echoed as she also held up her hand, palm-up: "Clear."

"Clear." Canton finished, also holding up his hand and looking right at his palm.

* * *

 _Earlier that day_

The Doctor injected something into the centre of Canton's palm, and the agent winced. "Ow!"

"Ha!" The Doctor just laughed as he turned to Rickey next, waving his injection gun. "So, three months. What have we found out?"

"That Lily can eat an entire tub of cookie dough in one sitting if she's cranky." River answered, and Lily pointed at the woman as she insisted: "Oi! It's 'pregnant'."

"Same thing sometimes." River shrugged, while Rickey shook out his hand against the pain after the Doctor gave him an injection on his palm as well.

"I think the Doctor meant the aliens." Rickey pointed out to his wife, who just winked, while the Doctor looked at Lily.

"An entire tub?" He asked, and she shrugged as she answered: "It was a bad day."

"Clearly." He muttered, and Rory cleared his throat as he called: "Back to the subject; they are everywhere, whatever 'they' are."

The Doctor nodded as he reached for Rory's hand while the man continued: "Every state in America – ow!"

He gasped as he got his injection as well, while the Doctor corrected: "Not just America, the entire world."

"There's a greater concentration here, though." Rickey pointed out, as the Doctor reached for Amy's hand next.

"Ow!" She complained as she grasped her hand, staring at her palm where the Doctor had injected her.

"I wonder why they chose here, of all places though?" River wondered, and Lily added with a small frown: "And I wonder why they were using children."

"And where they came from." Rory added, before glancing at the Doctor and Amy as the two whispered. The Doctor was frowning slightly while Amy had a small, wry grin on her face that struck him as rather odd – she looked almost… nervous.

"What's up?" Rory called, and Lily also glanced over as Amy answered a little too quickly: "Nothing. Really, nothing."

Rory frowned skeptically, but Amy insisted, "Seriously," and he was forced to let the subject go.

Lily glanced at the Doctor, and he whispered in her ear as he reached for her palm next: "I'll tell you later."

Lily nodded, before wincing as the Doctor injected her as well, while Canton looked at River as he asked: "So you've seen them, both of you," he nodded at Lily as well, "but you don't remember them."

"You've seen them, too." River reminded. "That night at the warehouse, remember?"

Canton frowned, and Rickey added: "While you were pretending to hunt us down, we saw hundreds of those things. All of us did – I was starting to run out of skin counting all of them."

"Why?" Canton asked, confused, and Rory explained: "It's like they edit themselves out of your memory as soon as you look away. The exact second you're not looking at them, you can't remember anything."

"Sometimes you feel a bit sick, though, but not always." Amy added, and Lily concluded: "So, the only way we knew if we'd had an encounter was to count them, keep track and remind ourselves."

"That's why you marked your skin." Canton realized, before he looked at the Doctor.

"How long have they been here?" He asked, and he shrugged as Amy sighed: "That's what we've spent the last three months trying to find out."

"Not easy, if you can't remember anything you discover." Rickey added in a mutter, while Lily continued: "And from what we've gathered, it could have been centuries – possibly longer."

"As long as there's been something in the corner of your eye," the Doctor chimed in quietly as he walked up to Canton, "or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall."

Canton stared at the Time Lord as the Doctor looked him in the eye, saying seriously: "They've been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head."

He looked at each of them as he finished sternly: "We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today, the battle begins."

"How?" Canton asked, and the Doctor answered softly: "Like this."

He suddenly turned and injected River's palm, and the woman yelped: "Ow!"

"Ha!" The Doctor laughed again, while River shook out her hand, complaining under her breath: "Oh, I should have seen that coming. I _should_ have seen that coming!"

"Yes, you should've!" The Doctor grinned, before he explained to the generally confused Canton and Ponds: "Nanorecorder."

He held up a tiny pod-shaped device for the agent to see before he stuck it into his injection gun as he continued: "Fuses with the cartilage in your hand."

He injected himself at last, and instantly winced. "Ow!"

"What does it do?" Canton asked, and Lily explained: "It links directly to the speech centres in your brain, picking up your voice no matter what."

"Oh, someone's been swotting." River noted, and Lily grinned.

"It all came back as well, so it was easier." She explained, tapping her temple, and River smiled.

As Canton continued to look confused, Rickey explained: "It creates a telepathic connection."

"So," the Doctor finished excitedly, "the moment you see one of the creatures, you activate it," he pressed the centre of his palm and they all stared at the glowing red dot that appeared under the skin, "and describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

The Doctor pressed his palm again, and they all listened as the recorder played back his voice: "And describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

The Doctor let go of his palm again, and he explained to them: "Because the moment you break contact, you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message. You keep checking your hand if you've had an encounter. That's the first you'll know about it."

His companions nodded, while Canton protested: "Why didn't you tell me this before we started?"

"I did," the Doctor answered, "but even information about these creatures erases itself over time. I couldn't refresh it because I couldn't talk to you."

Lily clicked a few buttons on the Tardis as the Doctor spoke, and the pair exchanged looks before the Doctor pressed the final button. Their eyes drifted for a moment to the side, towards the corner of the Tardis, before coming back to Canton, who had also glanced back for a moment.

The agent then turned back to face the Doctor – and Lily raised a brow as Canton randomly straightened the Doctor's bowtie.

The agent then blinked when he saw all of them – not just the Doctor and Lily - staring at him, and he asked: "What? What are you staring at?"

"Your hand." Lily said softly. "Look at it."

She nodded at said appendage, and Canton looked down before frowning as he saw a red light blinking back at him from the centre of his palm.

"Why is it doing that?" He asked, looking back up at them, and the Doctor prompted in a low voice: "What does it mean if the light's flashing? What did I just tell you?"

"I haven't…" Canton said, struggling to think, and the Doctor ordered softly: "Play it."

Canton hesitated before he slowly pressed his palm.

"My God, how did it get in here?" His voice played back at him, and the Doctor's voice answered on the recording: "Keep eye contact with the creature and, when I say, turn back, and when you do, straighten my bow tie."

Canton and the others slowly turned to look at the corner of the Tardis again, and Canton's eyes went wide as he saw the bald alien standing in the middle of the Tardis.

"What? What are you staring at?" His voice asked over the recording, and Lily's voice answered: "Your hand. Look at it."

The others all stood as stiffly as Canton as they stared at the strange alien standing in the Tardis, while the Doctor explained: "It's a hologram, extrapolated from the photo on Amy's phone. Take a good, long look."

The Doctor then switched the hologram off, and instantly all of his companions blinked their eyes.

"You just saw an image of one of the creatures we're fighting." The Doctor said briskly, speaking fast as he looked at Canton first. "Describe it to me."

"I can't." Canton muttered, his eyes wide and confused as he struggled to remember the fact that he'd even seen the hologram let alone what it looked like.

The Doctor looked away as he muttered: "No. Neither can I."

He looked at the others, who all looked down, also unable to remember. The Doctor then pursed his lips and he strode about the console again as he continued to explain: "You straightened my bow tie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature."

"So they could do that to people." Amy realized. "You could be doing stuff and not really knowing why you're doing it."

"Like posthypnotic suggestion." Rory added, and Amy asked slowly: "Ruling the world with posthypnotic suggestion?"

Lily shrugged as she answered: "Could be – but it still doesn't answer why. Also-"

"Little boy and girl in a spacesuit." The Doctor finished her thought for her, nodding at her before looking at Canton. "They got the suit from NASA, but where did they get the children?"

"It could be anywhere." Canton pointed out, but the Doctor corrected as he looked to River and Rickey next: "Except they'd probably stay close to that warehouse, because why bother doing anything else?"

"Not to mention," Lily added as she walked over and started typing into the scanner beside the Doctor, "they probably took the children from somewhere that would attract the least amount of attention."

"Well, you're already on your way." The Doctor waved her on. "So, you can lead the search to find them - I'm off to NASA."

"But, where do we look to find them?" Canton protested, and the Doctor looked up.

"Children's homes." He answered as though it were obvious, before the scanner beeped.

The Doctor looked over as Lily pointed to the screen where the scanner had locked onto a house not far from the warehouse they had first encountered the children in.

"Greystark Hall Orphanage." Lily read, and the Doctor grinned.


	51. 16-2 Captured

_Oustide Greystark Hall Orphanage_

Amy knocked on the rundown mansion door, Lily and Canton standing right behind her as they waited for someone to answer. Lily shivered as the wind blew chills up her black suit trousers, and she pulled her coat on tighter.

"I wonder if no-one's in." She murmured, and Amy knocked again as she muttered, also suppressing shivers against the cold: "We'll try again."

"Are you certain you should have come with us?" Canton asked Lily, glancing down at her stomach pointedly, and Lily shrugged.

"It's not usually much safer whether I'm here or with the Doctor." She answered, and Canton asked in confusion: "I thought he was at NASA. He can't get into much danger there compared to here, can he?"

"Oh, trust me." Lily answered with a roll of her eyes. "He could find something, especially in a space station. The Doctor's middle name is 'Trouble', with a capital T, and his go-to call is 'Run'."

Canton blinked while Amy snorted, before they all perked up as they at last heard a shuffle coming from inside the house.

"Hello?" A man with greying hair asked as he finally answered the mansion door, peering out curiously, and Canton held up his ID.

"FBI." He explained. "You must be Dr. Renfrew."

The man glanced at the trio warily, and Lily asked as she gestured inside and out of the rain: "Can we come in?"

"The children are asleep." Dr. Renfrew protested, but Amy interrupted firmly: "We'll be very quiet."

Renfrew frowned, and he asked as he looked from Amy to Canton: "Is there a problem?"

His eyes landed back on Lily, or more specifically her stomach, but Lily brought his attention back to her face as she answered firmly: "It's about two missing children."

"What are you…?" Renfrew began, before he suddenly blinked and said absently: "Yes… yes, come in, please."

Amy and Lily exchanged looks before they followed the man inside, Canton bringing up the rear. The agent kept a hand in his pocket, probably around his revolver, while Amy followed Renfrew as the man called: "This way."

Lily followed behind the redhead, glancing around the entrance hall as Renfrew led the way up the winding staircase that led up to the higher floors of the building. It looked worn but was sturdy enough as they climbed up one floor, though Lily raised a brow when she saw the writing in red paint along the wall beside the stairs.

"Please excuse the writing." Renfrew said with an anxious laugh. "It... keeps happening."

Amy also raised a brow, and she exchanged looks with Canton as Lily examined the words painted in large capitals: 'GET OUT, LEAVE NOW'

"I try to clean it up." Renfrew added distractedly as he led the way passed the words and to the first floor, when Amy asked: "It's the kids, yeah? They did that."

"Yes, the children." Renfrew murmured pensively… almost hesitantly as he stopped beside the words. "It must be, yes."

He lifted a towel from the pail that had been sitting at the top of the stairs, clearly where he'd left it when he went to answer the door. Renfrew started to lift the wet cloth back up towards the writing, as though to wipe it, before he paused and lowered his arm again.

But not before Lily and the others saw the words 'GET OUT' written in black ink across the inside of the man's wrist, just visible when his suit sleeve had rode up as he'd lifted his arm.

She exchanged looks with Canton and Amy, before they looked back at Renfrew as the man murmured distractedly: "Anyway, my office is this way."

He turned, dropping the cloth back into the pail as he led the way… up the stairs again, towards the second floor. The trio exchanged looks again, before they made their way slowly after Renfrew, and Canton called after the man: "We nearly didn't come to this place. I understood Graystark Hall was closed in 67."

"That's the plan, yes." Renfrew agreed, and Lily frowned – and it had nothing to do with the fact that the words 'GET OUT' and 'LEAVE NOW' were painted across every wall they passed, all of them scrubbed partially but not completely out.

"Is?" Lily repeated sharply, while Amy asked with a matching frown: "The plan?"

"Not long now." Renfrew smiled tightly, and Canton pointed out flatly: "It's 1969."

"No, no." Renfrew corrected. "We close in 67. That's the plan, yes."

"You misunderstood me, sir." Canton said flatly, stopping.

Renfrew also paused on the stairs, looking back at Canton as the agent informed him: "It's 1969 _now_."

"Why are you saying that?" Renfrew frowned. "Of course it isn't."

"July." Canton added, probing, and he and the two women watched as Renfrew blinked rapidly for a few moments.

But the man's eyes blanked yet again, and he waved up as he turned, saying: "My office is this way. This way."

The man drifted up the stairs again, though he actually did go down the hallway on the second floor.

"We'll check upstairs?" Lily suggested, looking at Amy, and the redhead nodded.

"Two's better than one." Amy agreed, and Canton warned: "Be careful."

"We'll try." Lily answered as she and Amy continued up the stairs to the highest floor while Canton followed Remfrew down the second floor hallway.

The third floor didn't look too strange, except for the fact that it was completely deserted. And every wall in every dormitory room on the floor had the same words painted repeatedly in large, bold letters: 'LEAVE ME ALONE' and 'GET OUT NOW'.

"Cheery." Lily muttered while Amy swallowed, holding her torch tighter.

Lily meanwhile fished out her mobile, dialing quickly as she and Amy warily made their way into one of the bedrooms, taking a good look around.

"Lily?" The Doctor answered into his own communicator, and Lily informed him: "I think we've found the place the children were taken from."

She and Amy continued to make their way carefully into the room, peering around while the Doctor asked Lily: "You're certain?"

"The aliens, if they're aliens, were here." Lily confirmed. "It looks like they've left since, but I'm not so sure – the man who used to be in charge of the place, Dr. Renfrew, is still here and he's… not quite right in the head."

"You think it's due to repeated memory wipes?" The Doctor asked, and Lily agreed: "I think so. That, or he's been hit one too many times on the head with a cricket bat."

"Well, one good hit can do wonders sometimes." The Doctor answered. "Still, I doubt even that could help him now, so find out what you can but don't hand around."

"Okay." Lily replied and then she paused.

"And be careful, Doctor." She warned. "We don't want to accidentally blow up Neil Armstrong's rocket before he even makes it to the moon."

"Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing." The Doctor answered. "Oh, hang on – got to go. I'll see you in two ticks."

"Love you." Lily ended the call, and Amy asked: "So, what did he say?"

"To find what we can, and then get out of here." Lily answered, before she nodded at the haunted-looking room. "As if we need to be told that."

The door suddenly slammed behind them, and the two jumped in the air, startled. Whirling around, they stared at the door and then turned back into the room.

Lily spun, running for the closed door, Amy right behind her, but the brunette froze mid-reach for the door handle.

"Why'd you stop?" Amy demanded as she grabbed the handle and tried to open it instead, but Lily's face had blanched as she stared at her hand and then Amy's.

"Amy, look."

Lily opened her palm, showing the redhead the blinking red light in the centre… the exact same as the one on Amy's.

Amy also paled, while Lily pressed her palm, fear gripping her tighter with every passing second as they listened to her recording.

"I'm looking at them right now." Her voice whispered back at them. "But I think they're asleep."

"Come on." Amy's voice whispered desperately, sounding terrified. "Let's get out. Just get out!"

"Oh, God." Lily whispered as she stared at the four tally marks that had somehow made their way onto the back of her hands. Well, she knew how they probably got there but she couldn't _remember_.

"Let's just get out of here." Amy gasped fearfully as she saw similar marks on her own hand.

The two women tried the door desperately, Lily kicking at it while Amy moved to try the windows but they were all locked. Lily turned then, before she froze as she got a good look at Amy's face.

"Amy, oh my God." Lily gasped, and Amy looked up before she also froze in absolute terror.

"Lily, your face-" Amy began, but Lily answered: "I know – I can see yours."

The two women stared at each other, their faces decorated with tally marks, before they slowly looked down at their own arms. Ever inch of visible skin was covered in more marks, and Amy gasped: "How many could there possibly be-?"

Lily's eyes had drifted up as Amy spoke, and a strangled gasp from the brunette made Amy look up as well, and she shut her mouth as she got her answer.

"Oh, my…" Amy whispered as they stared up – again, it _had_ to be again – at the bald aliens hanging from every inch of the ceiling.

Lily counted and marked her skin again, even as Amy backed away slowly in fear. But her movements brought her back against an abandoned pail not unlike the one Renfrew had left on the stairs, and both women jumped as Amy accidentally knocked the pail over with a clatter.

Lily pressed her hands over her mouth to suppress a startled gasp, while the aliens above shifted and made their strange gargling noises. It looked like they were stirring, and Lily and Amy held their breaths in terror.

The door to the bedroom suddenly opened, and both women looked over, startled… and Lily frowned as she wondered why her heart was hammering in her chest, like she'd just had a terrible scare.

Amy blinked as she also looked around in confusion, and Lily whispered: "Come on."

The two left the bedroom, and Lily muttered as she led the way out: "We'd better warn Canton."

"Why?" Amy asked, and Lily looked back so Amy could see her face.

"Oh." Amy murmured as she took in the marks on Lily's face once again. "Right."

Lily glanced back to the front before she paused as she saw the stairs leading up one more floor.

"I wonder what this is for?" She muttered, puzzled as she touched the stairs.

"The top floor?" Amy suggested, but Lily corrected as she started up the steps: "This is the top floor, Amy. Unless, there's something in the roof, an attic, or…"

She trailed off as she made her way out into an entire hallway inside the attic, and Amy muttered as she followed the brunette woman: "Honestly, you're just like the Doctor. You know, curiosity killed the cat."

"And satisfaction brought it back." Lily answered. "Besides, I don't think you're the person to be lecturing me on that, Amelia."

"I'm not the one who's pregnant." Amy replied pointedly as the two women made their way down the hallway.

"You could be." Lily shrugged. "You _are_ married."

The pair continued on, before Lily paused before a doorway that was partially open. She peered inside carefully, wary of any of the strange aliens she knew had to be somewhere in the house – _keep thinking about it, keep reminding yourself,_ she thought to herself as she glanced at the tally markings on her wrist.

But she stopped and stood stock still in surprise at what she saw beyond the doorway.

Her brows furrowed and Lily stepped into the child's bedroom, looking around quite puzzled. Unlike the other rooms, this one was fully furnished and looked like it had been maintained extraordinarily well. The whole room was very cosy with several rugs covering the worn, wooden floorboards and it was littered with dolls and plushy toys and miniature cars and toy dinosaurs.

Two beds lined one side of the wall, and Lily frowned as she looked from the pink to the blue duvets.

"Hey, Amy-" Lily began, when Amy said in surprise: "Hello. Who are you?"

Lily turned, startled, before she frowned as she saw Amy speaking to a blank wall.

"Um… Amy?" Lily asked, and the redhead looked over.

"Yeah?" Amy asked, waiting as Lily just stared at her. "What?"

"What were you doing?" Lily asked, and Amy shrugged as she answered: "This weird woman was just-"

Amy broke off, frowning as she stared at the wall.

"Wait… what?" She asked, and Lily said slowly: "You were talking to the wall."

"No, no, it…" Amy trailed off in confusion, looking from the wall to Lily. "Just a second ago, there was this weird eye-patch woman looking at me through a hatch."

"What?" Lily asked, frowning, and Amy nodded as she insisted: "It happened, I swear, she was just there…"

The redhead trailed off again, glancing at the wall, and Lily paused.

"We'll ask the Doctor later." She offered, making a mental note. This wasn't something they'd been aware the aliens could do; it was one thing to forget but if the aliens could create actual illusions…

"Right." Amy muttered, shaking off her troubled feelings and looking back at Lily. "So, what were you saying?"

"Hm? Oh, right."

Lily waved back at the bedroom she'd found as she said: "Look at this."

She stepped back into the room, holding the door open. Amy entered the room after her friend and she stopped short just as Lily had.

"What is this room?" Amy wondered as she looked around the room, while Lily paused as she stopped beside a chest of drawers on one side of the room.

"Amy…"

The redhead looked over at Lily's stunned call, and she came over as Lily picked up one of the framed pictures set up on display on the chest.

"Is that…?" Amy gasped, eyes widening, and Lily whispered in shock: "It's us."

Amy stared, unable to believe her eyes. The photograph was of the two women, their heads leaning in close together as they smiled at the camera. And in the middle of their faces was the third, smaller head of a sleeping baby.

"How?" Amy whispered, stunned. "How can that be us?"

"I don't know." Lily answered, her voice shaking. She had a very bad feeling about this. She and Amy had never taken this photograph before, which meant there was only one explanation. It had to have been taken in the future.

But for the photograph to be _here_ …

A noise, like a breath through an inhaler, sounded behind them, and the two women whirled around in alarm before they froze. It was as though someone had trickled icy water down the back of Lily's neck as she stared with growing trepidation as one of the astronauts from before made its way slowly into the room towards them.

"Who are you?" Amy demanded as she and Lily backed slowly away from the astronaut in fear. " _Who are you_?!"

The astronaut slowly lifted its gold visor once more to reveal the little girl Amy had seen at the abandoned warehouse in Florida. The redhead's eyes widened as she saw the cracked hole on the inner visor of the suit, just above the little girl's head, from where the bullet she had fired had hit the astronaut suit.

"I'm sorry." Amy said shakily. "I didn't mean to shoot you. I'm glad I missed. Really, I am. But you killed the Doctor."

Lily glanced at her friend and then back at the child while Amy went on: "Or you're… you're going to kill him…"

The little girl just blinked at them, looking terrified, so Lily interjected pleadingly: "Just tell us who you are – you don't have to be afraid. We're just trying to understand-"

She broke off as there was a sound from the doorway once more, and Lily and Amy looked over once more. Both women's faces paled as they saw four of the alien creatures walk into the room towards them, coming to flank the child in the astronaut suit.

Amy let out a piercing scream while Lily yelled at the top of her lungs: "DOCTOR!"


	52. Author's Note

I'm so sorry everyone, but you've probably noticed I haven't been updating. The thing is, my laptop was stolen last weekend. And amongst the other horrors that brings, it means I've lost everything that I've written so far. All my chapters that I was looking forward to sharing with you, gone. Poof.

Because of this, I'm afraid all my stories will be on hold until I get back on track. That said, this is also my promise that I WILL come back, it just might take a while with all the stories I was working on. So I ask that you be patient until then, and I hope to see you all when I get back.

Thanks again to all my readers and see you again in the future!


	53. 16-3 Pregnant?

Lily awoke slowly, her eyes fluttering open and she peered blearily around. She vaguely remembered being captured… but by what? It was as though her memory was fuzzy…

Lily yelped as one of the creepy, silent aliens stepped forward into her line of sight.

Suddenly she remembered exactly what had happened before: the child in that bedroom, how the aliens had arrived and taken her and Amy, how she and Amy had called for their respective husbands at the top of their lungs as they were dragged away.

But then, everything went black and she had no idea where she had been taken or how long she had been out.

Now, she found herself in the middle of a cavernous room, in the centre of which was an alien console of sorts similar to the one she had seen with River and Rory back in the tunnels in Florida 1969. But this time, she was tied to something akin to a standing operating table and there was an IV filled with a glowing blue-ish yellow liquid standing ominously nearby.

Most importantly, the room (as far as she could see which admittedly wasn't too much in her current position) was filled with the strange aliens she'd run from for three months. She could count at least ten in her line of sight, and Lily was fairly certain there were more right behind her as well.

"Where are we?" Lily demanded as she looked back at the alien before her, who was watching her intently. "What is this?"

"You are Lily Tyler." The alien spoke in a strange, wheezy voice that seemed to rasp and yet echo at the same time. "The Keeper of the Doctor's hearts."

"Why do you say that?" Lily asked, frowning. She hadn't heard that term since the Byzantium… and with a jolt Lily remembered she'd heard that term before that as well. The Face of Boe (she remembered with a mix of fondness and sorrow) had said the same thing before.

"What does that mean, 'the keeper of his hearts'?" Lily demanded warily. Traveling with the Doctor as long as she had, Lily knew that there was _always_ a cost when one became known by a title throughout the universe; always.

"You and Amelia Pond will bring the Silence." The alien went on, completely ignoring her.

"What do you mean, 'we bring the Silence'?" Lily asked sharply. "And where's Amy?"

But again the alien ignored her as it went on: "We do you honour."

The alien nodded to the side and Lily twisted her head as best as she could to see Amy strapped to another gurney just in Lily's line of sight. The redhead was still knocked out though she was just beginning to stir. Even as Lily watched, Amy's head shifted and the young woman's brows furrowed just slightly as she began to regain consciousness.

"Where are we?" Lily repeated, looking back at the alien before her, who replied rather vaguely: "You and Amelia Pond have been here many days."

"That's not possible." Lily retorted, frowning. "The Doctor would have found us – I'm sure of it."

"No-one can find the Silence." The alien answered mysteriously and Lily's frown deepened.

"Why do you keep saying that?" She wondered. "'The Silence'? What do you mean?"

But it was then that Amy woke up, and the redhead demanded loudly as soon as she was conscious enough: "Where am I? What are you? Where's Rory?"

"You are Amelia Pond," the alien repeated in its raspy voice as it turned to Amy now, "and you and Lily Tyler will bring the Silence."

"What are you talking about?" Amy frowned, joining in Lily's confusion. "And what is this?"

The redhead struggled against the bonds holding her down by the wrists and ankles.

"Let me go! You've made a big mistake bringing Lily and me here, because wait until you see what's coming for you now." Amy growled furiously, glaring at the alien.

The extraterrestrial being didn't even seem fazed by the Scottish woman's anger. Instead, it turned back to Lily as it ordered: "You will sleep now."

She frowned, before her eyes widened in alarm as the alien leaned in towards her, hissing: "Sleep."

"No!" Lily shouted, trying to wriggle away from the menacing and threatening alien and Amy yelled at the same time in an outrage: "Oi! Get away from her!"

"Sleep." The alien repeated, ignoring the women's yells, and Lily screamed at the top of her lungs: "I said, no!"

Suddenly, a very familiar wheezing filled the room. Both Amy and Lily's heads snapped to the middle of the room and Lily's fear faded away into triumphant relief as a blue police box appeared right beside the console.

The alien before her also turned around, and it too stared at the Tardis just as the door swung open and the Doctor poked his head out.

"Oh!" He commented as he looked about. "Interesting. Very Aickman Road."

He stepped out, and Lily and Amy sagged slightly in relief to see not only Rory but also River and Rickey step out of the Tardis behind the Doctor.

"I've seen one of these before." The Doctor was saying lightly, completely ignoring the other aliens in the room. "Abandoned. I wonder how that happened? Oh, well I suppose I'm about to find out."

The Doctor turned back to his companions as he called: "Rory, River, Rickey; keep one Silent in eyeshot at all times."

He then turned back to the room, and he blinked.

"Oh, hello." The Doctor called politely as though just realizing the aliens were there. "Sorry, you were in the middle of something."

The alien – did the Doctor call it a Silent? – growled its strange creaking growl as it stared at the Doctor. River and Rickey both held some kind of high-tech guns in their hands, and they kept their weapons trained carefully on the growling aliens, but the Doctor himself was unfazed.

The Time Lord ignored it as he strode into the room, carrying an old box TV set and he said blithely: "Just had to say, though, have you seen what's on the telly?"

Lily bit back a grin as she realized with relief that the Doctor must have found the answer they had been searching for. Not wanting to give them away prematurely or steal the Doctor's moment of glory, she stayed quiet.

But she didn't fool her husband, who winked at her.

"Lily darling." He called, while moving to settle the television on the centre console. "You all right? How about we kick back and watch some telly, hey?"

Before Lily could reply, the Silent standing between them took a step in the Doctor's direction.

"Ah!" The Doctor warned. "Now, stay where you are. Because look at me," he looked the other aliens right in the eye, "I'm confident."

The Silence paused, staring wordlessly at the Doctor, who went on darkly: "You want to watch that, me, when I'm confident. Especially," his green eyes narrowed, "after you steal my wife away from me."

"What about me?" Amy protested, and the Doctor waved at her.

"Oh, come now, Amelia." He said, back to his blithe self, while Rory edged his way surreptitiously towards Amy. "You're Scottish – if anything, they should be even more afraid of you."

"As opposed to a pregnant woman?" Amy challenged, and the Doctor's grin widened.

"This is nice and all," Lily interrupted, "but it's been quite some time that I've been strapped here and I'm starting to really need to go to the ladies' room."

"Ah!" The Doctor said loudly. "Now, we can't have that. Sorry you lot," he waved at the Silence, "but I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist on taking my wife back now."

The Silence growled menacingly, and the Doctor shook his head.

"Guys, really?" He asked. "I mean look, no offense but I've been around – the growling doesn't work. And don't you see my friends?"

He gestured over his shoulder to where River and Rickey were still standing with their guns trained on the Silence around the room.

Rory meanwhile reached Amy, who sighed in relief while the Doctor introduced to the Silence: "This is River and Rickey, and their guns; and unlike me, they don't mind shooting people. Normally I wouldn't like that, but," the Doctor's face darkened again, "when you've taken the people important to me… well."

He smiled, brightening again so quickly he appeared bipolar.

"Is he okay?" Amy whispered to Rory as her husband tugged on her bonds.

"I don't know." Rory shrugged. "He's probably as okay as I was to find you gone."

"So, not okay at all?" Amy asked, and Rory replied: "Definitely not okay."

"How did you find us anyway?" Amy whispered as Rory made little headway with her bonds.

"Well, apparently the necklace the Doctor gave Lily for Christmas is made of a rare rock." Rory explained. "It didn't take him long to find her with that."

"What?" Amy gaped, glancing over at Lily who was watching the Doctor.

Amy peered at the silvery round pendant hanging from Lily's neck and then looked back at Rory, before she shook her head.

"I don't even want to know." She sighed. "Moving on – does he have a plan?"

She nodded at the Doctor as the Time Lord rambled, striding about the room: "Or maybe you could just listen a minute."

"I don't know if he has a plan, but he has _something_ I hope." Rory answered, while the Doctor continued to address the Silence: "Because all I really want to do is accept your total surrender and then I'll let you go in peace."

He nodded at the Silence as he added: "Yes, you've been interfering in human history for thousands of years. Yes, people have suffered and died, but," he smiled a little sarcastically, "what's the point in two hearts, if you can't be a bit forgiving, now and then?"

He stared at the Silence, waiting, but they simply stared back at him. The Doctor raised a brow.

"Ooh, the Silence." He murmured. "You guys take that seriously, don't you? Okay."

The Doctor shrugged easily as he rambled: "You got me; I'm lying. I'm not really going to let you go that easily. Nice thought, but it's not Christmas."

"That's what she said." River said, and the Doctor shot her a disapproving look.

"Sorry." River said unapologetically, and the Doctor shook his head.

"So, back to business." The Doctor announced as he turned back to the Silence. But not before he switched on the box television.

"First, you tell me about the little girl and boy. Who are they? Why are they important? What are they for?"

The Doctor peered at the Silence again, and again they didn't answer.

Lily glanced at the television, which was streaming the live feed from man's landing on the moon, while the Doctor smirked just slightly as he stared grimly at the Silence.

"Guys, sorry, but you're way out of time." He whispered, before he turned away from them again.

"Now, come on." He said loudly, snapping his fingers as he walked back to the television. "A bit of history for you. Aren't you proud? Because you helped."

The Doctor pulled out the antennae on the television, increasing the signal and improving the clarity on the screen. The others watched, Amy and Rory curiously and Lily eagerly, as the live news feed continued.

The Doctor turned back to the Silence, still rambling on.

"Now, do you know how many people are watching this live on the telly? Half a billion. And that's nothing, because the human race will spread out among the stars."

He waved his hands.

"You just watch them fly. Billions and billions of them, for billions and billions of years. And every single one of them at some point in their lives, will look back at this man," the Doctor pointed at the screen where Neil Armstrong was just about to disembark onto the moon.

"Taking that very first step, and they will never, _ever_ forget it."

The smile she'd been fighting curved Lily's lips up at the corners, and she exchanged excited looks with River, both waiting with growing anticipation. On the television, they could see Neil Armstrong making his way down the ladder towards the moon.

The Doctor pulled out Lily's cell phone, which he had borrowed before and forgotten to give back - again.

"Oh. But don't forget this bit." He muttered before dialing onto the mobile.

"Ready?" He called, while the Silence watched him in confusion.

* * *

In the sealed cell in Area 51, Canton answered his cell.

"Ready." He answered to the Doctor's question, before the former agent attached his videophone to the Doctor's super-satellite phone.

The signal beamed up, dialing up to the hastily but effectively made device the Doctor had linked into Apollo 11.

* * *

In the cavernous room, Lily and the others watched the television as Neil Armstrong stepped off Apollo 11 and onto the moon.

"That's one small step for a man-" The newsreader began, when the screen suddenly went fuzzy, losing focus, before an ominous voice rasped: "You should kill us all on sight."

Lily's eyes widened as the screen cleared to show a Silence, recorded as it hissed menacingly at the camera: "You should kill us all on sight."

The footage – which Canton had recorded from the Silent he and the Doctor had managed to take prisoner - repeated itself over and over again, the message imbedding itself into the human subconscious.

"You've given the order for your own execution," the Doctor said in a low voice as he stood his ground before the Silent between him and Lily, "and the whole planet just heard you."

"You should kill us all on sight." The message repeated again, before the TV screen switched back to Neil Armstrong standing on the moon, saying: "One giant leap for mankind."

"And one whacking great kick up the backside for the Silence." The Doctor declared triumphantly. "You just raised an army against yourself! And now, for a thousand generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day."

He advanced on the Silent, asking intently: "How fast can you run? Because today's the day the human race throw you off their planet. They won't even know they're doing it."

Lily's eyes widened as she saw the Silent's hands curl and twitch.

The Doctor paused, before he added: "I think, quite possibly, the word you're looking for right now is," electricity began to crackle all around the room, "'Oops!' Run!"

River, Rickey, and Rory looked at the Doctor, who shouted loudly, all triumphant bravado gone: "Guys, I mean us. Run!"

The Silence all growled and hissed as they drew on the electric shock they used to attack, and instantly River and Rickey started shooting.

"You couldn't get Amy and I free first?" Lily cried as the Doctor scampered over and pointed his sonic at the metal bonds on her arms and legs.

"You normally like my speeches." The Doctor countered, but Lily returned: "Yes, but normally I haven't been taken captive for apparently days, while pregnant!"

"Touche." The Doctor muttered as he finally freed Lily.

"A little help?" Rory called, and the Doctor and Lily hurried over.

With the sonic, it was only a matter of time before the four were scurrying quickly back towards the Tardis. They dodged about, avoiding the Silence's attacks, and the Doctor pointed his sonic wildly about as a defense while River and Rickey fired with impeccable aim at the Silence.

"Where did they learn to shoot like that?" Lily wondered, and the Doctor answered hurriedly as he pushed them all into the Tardis: "She's in prison for killing someone, remember?"

Lily paused, something about the Doctor's words hitting a chord with her, but before she could pursue the niggling feeling the Doctor had shoved her into the Tardis after Amy and Rory.

"Do you think River and Rickey will be okay?" Lily asked as the Doctor slipped inside after her, and the Doctor shrugged.

"As you said, they're very good shooters." He answered. "I'm sure they're fine."

He dashed towards the console, passing Rory as he checked on Amy, and Lily followed the Doctor.

"You don't normally like the shooting." She commented, and the Doctor glanced at her.

"Well, as I said – I like it less when they steal my wife." He answered. "And if that's what it takes to get you and everyone else dear to me back safely, then I can live with it."

Lily smiled wryly, and she wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist. He hugged her back, pressing his lips on the crown of her head while Lily murmured softly: "Thank you – for coming to get me."

"My pleasure." The Doctor answered. "I'm sorry it wasn't sooner."

"I was out for most of it." Lily admitted. "It really did only feel like five minutes had gone by."

The Doctor frowned at that. But before he could follow his thoughts, the Tardis door opened again and a triumphant River and Rickey entered, their guns smoking.

"Ah, you're back." The Doctor noted brightly, and he pulled a lever.

Instantly, the whole room rocked as they took off, and Lily steadied herself while the Doctor said excitedly: "Good. Now we can get back to Canton-"

"Not like this, we won't." River observed as she threw another lever, steading the Tardis and making the Doctor pout.

"You can let me fly it." He complained, but River countered: "Yeah, or we could go where we're supposed to."

"She has a point." Rickey noted, and the Doctor pointed at the other man as he protested: "Of course _you'd_ take her side."

"Don't act like you wouldn't do the same with Lily." Amy countered as she and Rory rejoined the group by the console. "Besides, they are the better drivers."

"See? Even Amy agrees." River said proudly and the Doctor pouted again.

And Lily quietly adjusted their direction from behind, ensuring they ended up at the right place at the right time. River was so preoccupied with teasing the Doctor that she hadn't been as careful with the year as she had been with the co-ordinates.

And the last thing they needed was to land in the Oval office in 1939 instead of 1969.

* * *

 _Oval Office, 1969_

"So we're safe again." Nixon said in satisfaction as he shook the Doctor's hand warmly.

"Safe?" The Doctor repeated with a scoff. "No, of course you're not safe. There's about a billion other things out there just waiting to burn your whole world. But, if you want to pretend you're safe, just so you can sleep at night? Okay, you're safe. But you're not really."

Lily chuckled from where she sat with Amy on the sofa, just beside where the Tardis was parked. River smirked from her place behind the other two women, while Rory and Rickey leaned on the Tardis door with similar grins on their faces.

As Nixon stared, aghast, at the Doctor, the Time Lord turned to the dark-haired man standing to Nixon's other side, and he beamed: "Canton. Until the next one, eh?"

He offered his hand, and Canton shook it warmly as he answered: "Looking forward to it."

"Canton just wants to get married." The Doctor noted to Nixon, turning back to the US president with a raised brow and pointed look. "Hell of a reason to kick him out of the FBI."

"I'm sure something can be arranged." Nixon answered, a magnanimous and somewhat apologetic smile appearing on his face as he glanced at the ex-agent.

"I'm counting on you." The Doctor said with a smile.

He turned to go, but Nixon stopped him and the US president said hesitantly: "Er, Doctor. Canton here tells me you're, you're from the future. It hardly seems possible, but I was wondering-"

"I should warn you I don't answer a lot of questions." The Doctor interrupted pointedly, but Nixon pressed: "But I'm a President at the beginning of his time. Dare I ask. Will I be remembered?"

Lily raised a brow and she shared a look with Amy and River. The three women quickly looked away, fighting smiles, while the Doctor answered: "Oh, Dicky. Tricky Dicky."

He smiled widely at Nixon.

"They're _never_ going to forget you." Was all the Doctor said before he turned away.

Nixon frowned, puzzled, but the Doctor just waved as he added over his shoulder: "Say hi to David Frost for me."

"David Frost?" Nxixon repeated, and the Doctor just smiled.

The group returned to the Tardis, disappearing into the blue police box, and Nixon glanced at Canton.

"This person you want to marry." The president began uncomfortably as they watched the Tardis begin to dematerialize. "Black?"

"Yes." Canton answered, and Nixon nodded thoughtfully.

"I know what people think of me," he began, "but perhaps I'm a little more liberal-"

"He is." Canton finished his sentence, and Nixon stopped dead.

After a beat, the US president turned to Canton and he commented flatly: "I think the Moon is far enough, for now, don't you, Mr. Delaware?"

Canton just gave the other man a wry smile as he answered: "I figured it might be."

* * *

 _Stormcage_

"You could come with us." Lily noted as she hugged River, but the blonde just smiled.

"I escape often enough, thank you." River answered, before her eyes drifted to the Doctor.

"Besides," she looked back at Lily, "I have a promise to live up to."

Lily raised a brow while the Doctor looked over quickly with interest, but River just said mysteriously: "You'll understand soon enough."

The Doctor turned away again, disgruntled, and Rickey chuckled.

"Don't worry, Doctor." The younger man said. "One day, you will get your chance to be the one to say that to us."

"How I look forward to that day." The Doctor answered.

A shadow – fleeting, but no less dark – passed over River and Rickey's faces, before it was gone and River smiled at Lily.

"You look after yourself, Lily." River said as she nodded at Lily's protruding stomach. "And use this time to make him wait on you hand and foot."

She nodded at the Doctor, and Lily laughed while the Doctor sniffed: "I don't 'wait on' anyone. But I do take care of her regardless of her state of health, and regardless of _your_ input."

He leveled a playfully pointed look at River, making them all laugh again.

"Okay, we should go." Lily said at last as she looked between River and Rickey. "We'll come by to visit again."

"We will?" The Doctor asked, pretending to whine, and Lily smiled.

"First time for everything." She answered. Another shadow passed over River and Rickey's faces, but again they had it controlled before either the Doctor or Lily could see when they turned back to the mysterious couple.

"I'll hold you to it." River said with a light smile, and Lily waved one more time as she and the Doctor re-entered the Tardis.

The smiles dropped off River and Rickey's faces once the Doctor and Lily were gone, and Rickey said in a low voice: "So… this is what it feels like."

"We knew it was coming." River answered, and Rickey nodded tightly.

"We did." He said quietly. "But, even knowing… even prepared… it's harder than we thought it would be, isn't it?"

River nodded, and the pair reached for each other's hands almost simultaneously as Lily's words rang in their minds.

 _First time for everything._

"And a last time." River sighed, and Rickey tightened his hand on hers as they watched the Tardis disappear.

* * *

 _Inside the Tardis_

Lily and Rory were below the console deck, and the Doctor used the opportunity to turn to Amy.

"You're okay?" He asked seriously, and Amy looked at him with a bit of surprise.

"Fine." She answered. "Head's a bit weird. There's loads of stuff I can't quite remember."

"After effect of the Silence." The Doctor dismissed, still eyeing Amy intently. "Natural enough. That's not what I was asking."

Amy paused, sensing his question, but the Doctor said it anyway.

"You told me you were pregnant." He reminded, and Amy lowered her gaze.

"Yes." She answered quietly, and the Doctor shot back swiftly: "Why?"

Amy looked back at the Doctor, and she explained with a sigh: "Because I was. I mean," she added quickly, "I thought I was. It turns out I wasn't."

"No, why did you tell me?" The Doctor corrected, and Amy smiled.

"Because you're my friend." She answered genuinely. "You're my best friend."

"But you didn't tell Lily or Rory."

It wasn't a question and Amy sighed again.

"No." She admitted, and the Doctor asked again: "Why?"

"Why do you think?" Amy asked pointedly. "We travelled with you in this Tardis for so long. All that time."

She looked right at the Doctor as she asked quietly: "If I was pregnant for some of it, wouldn't it have had an effect? I don't want to tell Rory his baby might have three heads or, like, a timehead, or something. And I don't want to bring it up with Lily in case…"

She trailed off, and the Doctor nodded.

"You don't have to worry." He answered Amy's unspoken worry. "We have Lily take regular check-ups using the Tardis scanner – both she and the baby are fine. No… 'timehead'."

He made airquotes and Amy grinned, saying sheepishly: "Shut up."

She then cleared her throat and called: "Oi, stupid face."

Below the console deck, Rory cringed while Lily grinned.

"Er, yeah?" Rory called back, hurriedly hiding the small nanorecorder he'd been holding in his palm. The same nanorecorder that had been left behind when Lily and Amy were taken.

The Doctor had discarded the one he'd picked up, which had been Lily's, but it seemed Rory's insecurities weren't letting him do quite the same with Amy's.

' _Well, at least it was somewhat useful just now._ ' Lily thought to herself as she and Rory made their way back to the console deck.

"Hello." Rory said, trying not to sound guilty, but Amy said firmly as she looked at Rory's closed hand: "I'm taking that away from you, if you're going to listen in all the time."

Rory held up the nanorecorder sheepishly as he admitted: "Okay, that's a fair point. But you should've told me that you thought you were pregnant. I'm a nurse. I'm good with pregnancy."

"I'll give him a point on that." Lily joked as she walked over to the Doctor, making them laugh.

"But you're not?" Rory checked with Amy once they stopped laughing (though not smiling), and Amy nodded.

"Not." She agreed as she walked over to Rory and hugged her husband. "Now, can you stop being stupid?"

"Er, no." Rory answered as he wrapped his arms around Amy and spontaneously swung her around. "Never. I'm never, ever going to stop being stupid!"

"What happened?" Lily asked the Doctor quietly, and the Time Lord just smiled.

"Rory just has a stupid face." He answered, and Lily raised a brow.

"Yes, okay." She answered. "But I meant that."

She nodded slightly to the Tardis scanner, where the Doctor had surreptiously run a quick scan when Amy and Rory weren't looking.

"How is that possible?" She asked, and the Doctor shook his head slightly as he and Lily continued to watch Amy.

"I don't know." He admitted quietly. "And I don't like not knowing."

"Yes, that never seems to change with you. No matter how many times you change your own face." Lily noted, and the Doctor smiled slightly.

But the worry was still there as he watched Rory and Amy talk and flirt on the other side of the console deck, and Lily sighed. She was worried too, and there was another thing that she knew the Doctor should hear.

"Doctor, there's something else – something the Silence said just before you came to rescue Amy and I." Lily said softly, and the Doctor glanced at her.

"They said Amy and I will 'bring the silence'." Lily explained. "It's an odd way to phrase it, isn't it? 'Bring _the_ silence'?"

"You're right." The Doctor frowned thoughtfully as he looked back towards Amy.

"What do you think it means?" Lily asked quietly, and the Doctor shook his head.

"I don't know yet." He admitted. "But we'll find out."

He took Lily's hand in his own, her wedding ring glinting in the light when it moved.

"We'll figure all of this out."

Lily nodded and she glanced at the Tardis scanner again.

On the screen beside them were the words: 'Amelia Pond. Full body scan in progress. Pregnancy.' Beside the description was a scan of Amy's abdomen across which two words kept flashing interchangeably as the Tardis was unable to come to a clear result – something that had never happened before.

Lily watched the screen for a moment before looking back at Amy again with a worried expression as the words continued to flash behind her.

Positive. Negative. Positive. Negative.

*A/N Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm afraid I'm not officially back, but wanted to share a treat for the holiday. Thank you to everyone who waited patiently, and to each and every person who left a supportive message for me. Thank you all so much and may you all be blessed! Until next time.


	54. 17-1 Curse of the Blackspot

The Doctor burst into the Tardis, dashing up toward the console and leaving his companion standing - stunned - in the doorway.

"By all the-" Captain Avery began, gawking at his surroundings, but the Doctor interrupted him.

"Let me stop you there. Bigger on the inside."

The Doctor gestured around the Tardis, while Avery barely listened as the pirate just gazed around in wonder and sheer shock.

"Don't mind, do you, if we just skip to the end of that moment?"

The Doctor turned to go toward the console, but he couldn't resist turning back to Avery and adding cheekily, "Oh, and sorry I lied, by the way, when I said yours was bigger. Kitchen that way."

The Doctor pointed down one of the many corridors that branched out from the console room.

"Choice of bathrooms there, there, there-"

A figure stepped out around the corner of the corridor the Doctor pointed at last, and Avery blinked at the pretty brunette woman who had - in his point of view - just appeared out of nowhere. Lily Tyler blinked back at the pirate captain, before looking at her husband.

"Care to explain where Amy and Rory are, and who this is?" Lily asked.

 _Moments earlier_

Lily groaned as she lifted her head, wiping her sweaty brow as she went, and cursed the Doctor. Again.

' _How did this happen?_ ' She wondered. ' _We were supposed to be lying on a beach in the Lemnira Orbit and watching the Milky Way. Instead, we follow a distress signal to the 17th century and I don't even make it out of the Tardis. Again._ '

Lily sat back as the toilet flushed itself, and she leant against the bathtub.

This had been the fourth time that Lily had been forced to run for the bathrooms just when they'd landed for a new adventure on some exciting planet or different time-period. And while the Doctor, Amy, and Rory went out to explore, Lily was stuck puking her entire stomach contents into the toilet. It was ridiculous in her opinion, although Rory (the ever faithful nurse) said it was fairly normal. He was a source of constant help as he checked her over and encouraged her with the opinion that the sickness should start to abate soon. He was certainly more help than the male who had impregnated her anyway.

The Doctor had been so jittery and clumsy the first time Lily had thrown up that Rory had literally had to lock the Time Lord out while Lily recovered - especially after the Doctor had almost spilled an entire kettle of hot water on his wife in his eagerness to make her some tea. It had resulted in Rory scolding the Doctor's ear off while Lily retired early to calm down from the shock of almost hurting their baby.

Since then, Rory had banned the Doctor from doing anything besides patting Lily on the back. But apparently, the Doctor didn't trust himself with even that after the kettle incident. He had taken to avoiding when Lily suffered her morning sickness and instead almost running out of the Tardis doors as fast as he could whenever she felt a little under the weather. She knew he was worried about being a father again after losing everyone before, but this Doctor in particular just wasn't equipped to deal with responsibility and the stress that came with it. The stress made him hyperactive and clumsier than usual - not a combination they wanted when Lily was puking her guts out.

"But it still wouldn't kill him to be around more often." Lily muttered, pushing herself away from the toilet bowl now that the nausea had passed.

Rinsing her mouth and splashing water on her face, Lily headed out of the bathroom at last. Now that she no longer felt as though the entire world existed inside a toilet, she was eager to get out and about to take her mind off her increasingly uncomfortable pregnancy.

A hum from the Tardis made her smile, and Lily watched as the corridor before her twisted and a corner appeared right in front of her.

"Thank you, Sexy." She said gratefully, and the Tardis hummed again.

Lily turned to corner to walk right into the console room, only to stop and stare as she found herself in the presence of her husband and an unfamiliar pirate captain while Rory and Amy were nowhere in sight.

She blinked as the pirate captain's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged at the sight of her, before Lily turned to where the Doctor stood beside the console.

"Care to explain where Amy and Rory are, and who this is?" Lily asked.

 _Present_

"They _are_ safe." The Doctor insisted as he twirled a knob and Lily sighed.

"I let you out of my sight for ten minutes and Rory's injured and targeted, Amy's protecting him, and you're being chased by an alien siren who appears wherever there is water." Lily grumbled. "And I missed all of it. I really don't think it's fair that women are the only ones who have to suffer pregnancy."

"I know, love, but I promise once the baby is born you won't have to lift a finger." The Doctor promised while typing away at what looked like a computer keyboard but really controlled the destination… most of the time. "I'll take care of it. I'll be a stay-at-home dad. Yeah, I'll be the best pops any child has ever had!"

That succeeded in making Lily smile again, but the pair were interrupted when Captain Avery piped up, "What's this do?"

He pointed to a big red lever, and the Doctor jumped.

"Oh!" He called in alarm, and Captain Avery dropped his hand. "That does very, very complicated."

The Doctor then turned back to the console, continuing as he pressed what looked like a service bell, "That does sophisticated."

He pointed to a control knob that moved in circular movements and was covered in smaller bumps - almost like a model of an atomic structure.

"That does whoa, amazing. And that," he pointed to another lever, "does whizz, bang, far too technical to explain!"

Lily rolled her eyes at the Doctor's dramatics, but she turned in surprise when Captain Avery pointed to the control knob and asked, "Wheel?"

"Atom accelerator." The Doctor corrected, while Lily tilted her head curiously.

"It steers the thing." Captain Avery checked, and the Doctor insisted, "No!"

"Uh hum." Lily coughed pointedly, and the Doctor corrected, "Sort of."

Captain Avery glanced between the couple as Lily raised her brows and the Doctor ceded sulkily, "All right, yes."

Captain Avery also raised his brows, and he pointed to various parts of the Tardis as he rattled off, "Wheel. Telescope. Astrolabe. Compass."

The Doctor stared at the Captain, while Lily asked, "How'd you guess all of that?"

"A ship's a ship." The good Captain replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh." The Doctor muttered, feeling somewhat disconcerted by the other male's easy understanding of how the Tardis worked, and Lily chuckled.

"Guess you finally met your match regarding the Tardis. Other than River, but she doesn't count because she apparently learnt from us." She commented, and the Doctor shook his head.

"No, no. Watch."

He pulled several levers, announcing confidently, "This is how the professionals do it."

The Tardis engines sputtered, stalling before shutting down.

"Oh dear..." Lily muttered, glancing around. For once, the Doctor _had_ done everything correctly - possibly to show off in front of the pirate captain - which meant that the Tardis engines stalling was definitely _not_ a good sign.

"What's wrong?" Captain Avery asked, and the Doctor replied nervously, "Er, it's stuck. Not responding."

He pressed a button as Captain Avery questioned, "Becalmed?"

"Mmm hmm." The Doctor hummed, confused, and he continued to try to get the Tardis to restart. "Yeah, apparently. That's new."

"Here, let me try too." Lily moved in beside her husband, pressing buttons and gently nudging levers in the hopes of getting the Tardis to get back to normal.

The Doctor let Lily try whilst he turned his own attention to the time rotor to see if maybe something was happening. But instead, his eyes caught sight of Captain Avery hiding a smirk on the opposite side of the console.

"You had to gloat, didn't you?" The Doctor accused, and Lily looked up at the same time Captain Avery rebuffed, "I'm not gloating."

"I saw that look just now." The Doctor insisted irritably. "'Ha, ha, his ship is rubbish.'"

"True." Captain Avery answered, and the Doctor folded his lips in annoyance.

"All right, boys, knock it off." Lily interrupted. "This isn't time to be one-upping each other."

"But-" The Doctor protested while Captain Avery scoffed, "Mine is-"

"Your ship is currently stranded, or 'becalmed' if you will, and you're not going anywhere anytime soon." Lily interjected.

Captain Avery's face soured, and the Doctor said triumphantly, "Ha!"

" _Your_ ship is clearly reacting to something she doesn't like around here, and you're too busy comparing size to try figure out what's making her unhappy." Lily scolded him. "You're not much better."

"Oh." The Doctor muttered, and Captain Avery said thoughtfully, "You know, I think I like her."

"Oi!" The Doctor exclaimed, and Lily pulled his ear. "Ow!"

"Behave." Lily insisted. "The Tardis can't get a lock on the plane, that's why she's sulking. We don't have time for this if what you said about Rory being hurt and targeted is true."

"She can't lock on the plane?" The Doctor repeated, his face turning thoughtful and concerned, and Captain Avery looked between the pair again.

"The what?" He asked, puzzled, and the Doctor explained as he walked around the console in agitation, "The space we travel in. The ocean. Sort of ocean but not water. The Tardis can't see. It's sulking because it thinks the space doesn't exist."

"And without a plane to lock onto, we can't go anywhere." Lily finished, and Captain Avery's frown deepened.

"I'm confused." He said slowly, and the Doctor replied petulantly, "Yeah, well, it's a big club. We should get T-shirts."

The Tardis suddenly gave a violent jerk, sending them all stumbling. The Doctor caught Lily, holding onto her to support and balance her as the Tardis began to let out a loud grinding noise.

"What's happening?" The Doctor wondered, and Lily replied, "I think she's having a tantrum."

The Tardis gave another shudder before shaking even more violently than before.

"Okay, yes, she's had her little sulk and now she's heading for the full-on screaming tantrum." The Doctor agreed, and Captain Avery urged, "Can you fix it?"

"I think she's too upset for that!" Lily answered, while the Doctor yelled, "Argh! The parametric engines are jammed. Orthogonal vector's gone. I'm almost out of ideas."

"Almost?" Captain Avery asked hopefully, and the Doctor explained, "Well, we could try stroking her and singing her a song."

"Will that help?" Captain Avery asked, and Lily answered, "It's never helped before."

"Well, now I'm a father, I've gotten better at it!" The Doctor replied, and Lily pointed out, "The baby kicks you every time you try singing and stroking my stomach!"

"Well then, you try!" The Doctor shot back, when the Tardis bucked.

"Too late now." The Doctor muttered, and Captain Avery demanded, "What do you mean?"

"We've lost control of her." The Doctor explained hurriedly as he tried to press more buttons but nothing worked. If anything, the shaking got worse and the familiar sound of the Tardis rotor whooshing as it dematerialized began.

"She's about to dematerialise. We could end up anywhere!"

"That sounds bad!" Captain Avery yelled, and the Doctor shouted back, "Yes, it is! Out!"

He grabbed Captain Avery by the arm and shoved the man toward the doors while Lily hurried after them.

"Out now!"

Lily yelped as there was a loud bang and the console sent up showers of sparks.

"Abandon ship!" The Doctor yelled, grabbing Lily and pulling her with him quickly toward the Tardis doors. "Abandon ship!"

The trio ran out of the Tardis and back into the mess hall of Captain Avery's ship just in time; Lily had barely cleared the doors when they slammed behind her. She and the Doctor whirled around to stare at the Tardis as the blue box shimmered, before a strange green light engulfed it and the Tardis disappeared.

"What was that?" Lily asked, puzzled by the strange dematerialisation. "Doctor?"

"Okay, okay, okay." The Doctor muttered in a low, panicked voice. "Tardis runs off on its own. That's a bit of a new one. Bang goes our only hope of getting them out of here."

Lily squeezed his hand, before they both turned around as Captain Avery commented dryly from behind, "Not much of a Captain without a ship, are you?"

Lily narrowed her eyes at the other man, before she looked at her husband. The Doctor's jaw had set and the determined gleam had reappeared in his eyes.

"Yes, he is." Lily smiled, and the Doctor grinned back at her determinedly.

"Oh?" Captain Avery asked, raising his brows as the couple turned and started to head quickly down within the ship.

The air around the pair had shifted: where they had been somewhat bickering but not too serious earlier, now they were focused and moving in tune to one another. It was rather interesting to watch, the Captain observed, as the pair matched each other's movements. If the Doctor turned, Lily turned with him and when she shifted, he moved with her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Like two cogs moving together, they now seemed like two seamless parts of one whole.

"How long have you two been married?" The Captain asked curiously.

The Doctor and Lily paused, glancing back at the Captain.

"We're in a live-or-die, perilous situation, and you want to know how long we've been married?" The Doctor asked, and Captain Avery lifted his shoulders.

"Yes?" He answered, and the Doctor shrugged.

"11 months." He answered, and Captain Avery frowned.

"So little time?" He asked, and Lily chuckled.

"We knew each other for years prior." She explained. "Most of my adult life has been with the Doctor."

"Ah, I see." Captain Avery nodded, understanding.

"And how about yourself?" The Doctor questioned. "How long had you and Toby's mother known each other?"

"We were ol' childhood sweethearts." Captain Avery answered, looking away with what Lily suspected was guilt. "And I loved her, I did - but the call of the sea was stronger. Then I turned pirate, and… well..."

He trailed off with another shrug.

"It's all done, anyhow."

With that, the pirate captain led the way back through the hall, keeping low in case they alerted the siren to their whereabouts. The Doctor and Lily exchanged looks before following the Captain - only for all three of them to be brought up short when a figure appeared before them, pointing two pistols right at Avery.

"Mulligan?" Avery asked warily, eyeing the pistols and the jewelled gold crown that was hanging around the other man's wrist. Lily was more focused on the man's bulging pockets which seemed to be filled with food as well as coins. "What are you doing? This is mutiny."

The Doctor shifted, placing himself carefully before Lily, while the pirate crewman - Mulligan - said in a shaking voice, "She doesn't want me."

He darted forward, and the Doctor raised his hands while backing Lily away from the armed man as Mulligan hurried around them while keeping his pistols pointed at Avery and the Doctor. The Doctor kept Lily behind him as they pivoted to keep facing Mulligan, who continued with a crazed look in his eye, "She only wants Toby and the scrawny looking fellow."

Having reached the other side of the room now, Mulligan quickly turned and ran away. The Doctor lowered his hands while Avery stared after Mulligan in apparent incredulity.

"Was he talking about Rory?" Lily asked slowly. "And why would the Siren want Toby?"

"He's got the fever." The Doctor explained in a low voice, before turning to Avery.

"He's got the last of the supplies. We should go after him." The Doctor urged, and Avery scoffed back, "Never mind the damned supplies. What about my treasure?"

Avery hurried after the disappearing figure of Mulligan. Lily stared at the man and then looked at the Doctor, who just shrugged.

"He's not serious?" She asked, and the Doctor answered, "Not everyone can get the best pops award. We should go after him though."

"Agreed."

The couple hurried after Avery, who had by this point somehow scrounged up a rifle, only to duck quickly when Mulligan realized they were there and began to shoot at them.

"Don't get injured." The Doctor gasped, looking at Lily.

"Same back at you." Lily answered, and the Doctor turned to Avery as he reminded, "Don't get injured."

Avery just nodded, and - as Mulligan disappeared around the far corner of the hold - the trio began to chase after the pirate once more.

*A/N I know, I'm a terrible person - I'm really sorry. It's been **far** too long since I updated this, but I've had a bit of a writer's block in all my stories and just generally feeling overwhelmed. This story in particular I wrestled with and I think it's particularly because I don't really like this episode (sorry to everyone who does). I just didn't really know how to best incorporate Lily (especially pregnant Lily) into it. Thank you to all of you who waited so patiently. I can't respond to all the reviews as I normally do because you have just all been so continuously supportive while I had disappeared, but please know that I read each and every one of your reviews and it really helped me be motivated to continue. Thanks to each and every person who read and/or reviewed, and again, hope you can forgive me for going off the radar as I did. I can't promise I won't ever do it again, but again thank you for all the support you guys have been giving!


	55. 17-2 Siren

They reached the end of the lower deck to find that Mulligan had locked himself in the store room. The Doctor and Lily hung back while Avery banged on the door and yelled, "Come out of there, you mutinous dog!"

The Doctor pushed Avery aside as he began to sonic the lock (' _Good thing it's metal,_ ' Lily thought to herself) when they heard a strange song echoing around the ship.

"Is that-?" Lily began, eyes widening, and the Doctor immediately pulled her to him and he began to check her up and down.

"I'm fine, Doctor." Lily reassured, though her own hazel eyes wandered over him anxiously. "Are you?"

"I don't think I'm injured." The Doctor muttered as Avery also checked himself.

"So, who-?" Lily began when a blue-ish green light streamed out from through the gaps in the storeroom door.

"She's inside." The Doctor realized, and Avery murmured, "She's come for Mulligan."

Lily flinched as Mulligan suddenly screamed, before the light and his screams disappeared. The Doctor and Lily exchanged looks and the Doctor darted forward. Quickly sonicing the lock, he opened the door and rushed inside, sonicing around to try and find the source of the Siren's sudden appearance. Lily and Avery looked around in the meantime, and Avery grabbed the crown that Mulligan had had around his wrist, now lying carelessly on the ground.

"There's no water in here." Lily meanwhile said slowly as she looked at the Doctor.

He looked back at her, his brows furrowed in thought, and Lily said slowly, "If there's no water..."

"How did she take him?" Avery asked. "You said she uses water like a door, that's how she enters a room."

Lily saw the Doctor's gaze drop to the crown - the shining metal crown.

"Doctor?" She asked slowly, but he moved to stare at his reflection in the metal of the crown.

"I was wrong." The Doctor murmured. "Please ignore all my theories up to this point."

"What, again?" Avery asked incredulously, but Lily cut in, "Doctor, what is it?"

"We're all in danger." The Doctor said hurriedly as he grabbed the crown from Avery. "The water's not how she's getting in. When we were down in the hold, think what happened. You, me, Amy, Rory, leeches."

"She sprang from the water." Avery shrugged but the Doctor corrected, "Yes, only when it grew still. _Still_ water."

"Nature's mirror." Lily breathed. "She's using reflection."

Avery looked at them in shock while the Doctor stared into space.

"That siren legend." The Doctor muttered. "The curse."

"You said curses weren't real." Avery rebuffed but the Doctor explained quickly, "Folklore springs from truth. She attacks ships filled with treasure. Where else do you get a perfect reflection?"

"Polished metal." Avery realized, catching up to the Doctor and Lily's realization.

The Doctor hurried to shove the crown under a rucksack in the storeroom. Avery was equally alert as he said urgently, "We must warn them."

"Come on, then!" Lily ordered as she ran out ahead, one hand clutching her stomach.

The Doctor was right behind her, grabbing her hand as he ran with her while Avery hurried behind them as they made their way toward the magazine.

The Doctor rushed on ahead as they reached the door so he could pound on it, and he yelled, "Amy! Open the door!"

"Toby!" Avery yelled as he caught up to the couple, his voice filled with worry and fear for his son. "Open the door! Toby!"

"Amy, Rory!" Lily yelled.

"Toby!" Avery shouted, just as the door opened.

"Rory!" Lily gasped in relief as she saw her friend, and he asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

The Doctor however, saw a medallion in Toby's hands and he launched toward the boy, grabbing the trinket and hastily breathing on it to cloud any reflection on the shiny trinket. The others all stared at the Doctor's strange antics, but Avery breathed in relief as the Doctor sent him a thumbs up to let him know they - including his boy - were safe.

* * *

"We've got to destroy every reflection." The Doctor urged Avery as he used a mullet to break all the windows in the Captain's quarters. "Gold, silver, glass, she could spring from any of them."

He then destroyed the mirror hanging from the wall, before catching sight of Avery's face.

"Oh, yes, yes, I know, I know." He placated the superstitious pirate captain. "Very bad luck to break it. But look at it this way. There's a stroppy homicidal mermaid trying to kill all."

"How much worse can things get?" Avery sighed, nodding in agreement.

"Yep." The Doctor agreed before he bent down to grab all the gold and treasure that was sitting atop Avery's desk. "Help me lug this lot out."

"Where are we taking it?" Avery asked, frowning, and the Doctor answered, "The ocean."

"No!" Avery balked instantly. "No. This is the treasure of the Mogul of India."

"Oh, good. For a moment there I thought it was yours." The Doctor answered sarcastically.

"Doctor!" Avery grabbed the Doctor's shoulders as the Time Lord moved to grab the gold once more, and he wheedled, "Wait. Must we do this?"

The Doctor stood up and he retorted sharply, "Any reflection, any mirror, and the Siren will attack. We have to protect Rory and Toby. Go and get the crown from the storeroom."

Avery sighed but he did as he was told. The Doctor watched him go grimly before he turned back to Avery's treasure and began chucking all of it out of the broken windows.

* * *

"Just wait?" Rory repeated incredulously.

They were all gathered once more in the magazine, Amy sitting with Lily as the brunette sat atop a barrel, rubbing her stomach. Rory stood beside his wife while the Doctor paced and Avery guarded the door… although from what, they really couldn't say.

Toby was huddled beside Lily, something the Doctor wasn't exactly thrilled about but Lily had had every vaccine shot in the universe and across time so he supposed she should be safe from the boy.

As it was, the murderous Siren intent on snagging all of them was his biggest concern anyway, and the Doctor continued to ponder their current situation even as he replied to Rory absently, "Not my most dynamic plan, I realise."

"Tardis?" Amy suggested, confused, and Lily explained, "It's gone."

"What?" Amy gaped, and the Doctor added sheepishly, "Sorry. We might be stuck here for a while."

"So you're saying that we should all just wait here below?" Rory asked in disbelief, and Avery pointed out, "The sea is still calm, like a mirror. If you go out on deck she'll rise up and attack you."

"It's okay." The Doctor placated. "The calm won't last forever. When the wind picks up we'll all set sail."

"Until it does, you have to hide down here." Avery added.

"Look at you two captains, getting it on." Lily mused and the Doctor grinned at her.

* * *

He wasn't smiling twenty minutes later when the wind had still not picked up and they were still stuck in the hold. Amy and Rory were sleeping side by side while Avery settled beside his estranged son and tried to make amends… or, well he tried.

Lily took the Doctor out of the magazine as Avery tried to connect with his son again, knowing the Doctor's restlessness would not help an already strained conversation.

"Something's not right." The Doctor muttered as he paced across the Captain's cabin while Lily settled wearily into a chair. "There's something not right."

"Well, explain it to me again." Lily suggested. "You said she only attacks people who are sick and injured..."

"Like a shark that picks up the smell of blood." The Doctor nodded and Lily mused, "It's strange though. Why the sick and injured? Normally, a predator goes for the weak but a sick person is no good to anyone. The predator would get sick from eating diseased flesh."

"So, she's not eating them or she isn't infected by illnesses the way humans are." The Doctor muttered and Lily pointed out, "But if she's so strong she can attack a person who only has a tiny cut, why not just attack a perfectly healthy person?"

"Exactly." The Doctor muttered.

Movement in the corner of her eyes had Lily glancing to the side, but there was nothing. But she could have sworn… Amy appeared in the doorway and Lily blinked, startled.

"Amy?" Lily asked, when suddenly the Doctor stood up and he stared at the broken windows.

"Doctor?" The two women asked, startled by his sudden movement but the Doctor was staring at the empty space with a deep frown as if something had caught his attention.

"What is it?" Lily asked as she came up beside her husband, and he murmured, "Feels like something's out there, staring straight at me."

A crash sounded above, followed by the distinct sound of thunder.

"Man the sails!" The Doctor yelled, before looking at Lily, "Love, stay down here."

"What?" Lily said indignantly but he looked at her stomach.

"Oh, for the love of-" Lily muttered, and the Doctor kissed her cheek.

"I love you, too. Amy!" The Doctor dashed off, Amy following behind and Lily sighed but hurried down to the store room.

* * *

What was possibly ten minutes later, the Doctor came banging into the room, dripping wet and angry.

"Doctor?" Lily asked in alarm as Amy and Avery trudged in behind the Doctor, equally soaked and Amy equally angry while Avery was guilt-stricken.

"What happened?" Lily asked instantly, straightening up as she saw the two missing figures.

"Rory was knocked overboard." Amy answered miserably. "And the Doctor sent the Siren after him."

"And Toby?" Lily asked, but Avery lowered his gaze and she quickly shut her mouth. 'Now what?"

She looked at the Doctor who said grimly, "The Siren isn't just a ravenous hunter. It's intelligent. We can reason with it. And maybe, just maybe, they're still alive somewhere. We have to follow."

"Are you mad?" Avery exclaimed but the Doctor snapped, "If we ever want to see them again, we have to let the Siren take us."

"Using what?" Amy demanded, and Lily pointed to a covered barrel in the corner.

"That has fresh water." She pointed out and the Doctor nodded.

"How do we get her to come for us?" Avery asked and the Doctor pulled out a pin from his suit.

"We'll prick our fingers." He answered grimly. "All agreed? Yeah?"

He looked at Avery first, who hesitated before his eyes steeled over.

"Aye." He agreed.

"Aye." Amy added, and Lily said, "Aye."

"Aye." The Doctor finished.

Reaching over, he pricked Avery's finger, then Amy's. His gaze locked with Lily's as he pricked her finger next and she kissed his chin for luck as the Doctor pricked his finger last. A black spot had already appeared on all their hands, the Doctor's the last to spread across his palm. Lily lifted the barrel's cover and the Siren shot out immediately, her mysterious gaze fixed on the four as she began to sing.

It was a queer feeling as Lily felt instantly drawn to the Siren, who suddenly seemed like the most beautiful creature she had ever seen, and when the Siren reached out her hand, they didn't hesitate to take it. A blinding light and they all crumpled; Lily was vaguely aware that she let out a scream but she felt so at peace and so sleepy… she closed her eyes and for a moment the world faded into darkness.

* * *

When she awoke, Lily realized they were in a different place, a spaceship most likely given the tech around them and the metal floor they lay upon. She shivered, and the Doctor was beside her instantly, although given his soaked state he was in no position to really help her.

"Are you all right, love?" The Doctor asked softly and Lily nodded.

"I'll live." She promised as they all got up.

"Where are we?" Amy was next to speak as she looked around, and the Doctor spotted something on the other side of the room.

"We haven't moved. We're in exactly the same place as before."

They all stared through the front window of the spaceship, which looked out onto the deck of Avery's ship where the rain was still beating down on the abandoned deck.

"We're on a ghost ship." Avery muttered but the Doctor answered, "No. It's real. Space ship trapped in a temporal rift."

"How can two ships be in the same place?" Amy asked, puzzled, and Lily corrected, "It's technically not the same place. It's two different… dimensions, you could say."

"Two planes, two worlds, two cars parked in the same space." The Doctor added. "There are lots of different universes nested inside each other. Now and again they collide, and you can... step from one to the other."

"Okay, I think I understand." Amy said slowly and the Doctor muttered, "Good, because it's not like that at all. But if that helps."

"Thanks." Amy muttered sarcastically, and Lily patted her friend.

"All the reflections have suddenly become gateways." The Doctor murmured thoughtfully and he glanced around.

Spotting a piece of metal on the floor, he grabbed it and flung it at the window. Amy shrieked, expecting it to rebound or break the glass… but it simply went through as if the window wasn't there, before landing on the deck below.

The Doctor grinned and he asked, "Ever look in a mirror and think you're seeing a whole other world? Well, this time it's not an illusion."

Suddenly, something beeped behind them, and the group looked around, startled.

"The signal." Amy gasped, and the Doctor murmured, "Yes."

"Oh, this all makes sense now." Lily breathed while Amy stuttered, "The distress call."

"What is going on?" Avery asked, but the Doctor and Lily were already moving toward the back of the ship, following the signal.

Amy and Avery trailed behind, the former also slowly catching on as she said, "There was a second ship here all the time."

"And the Siren is on board." The Doctor murmured.

He opened the back door, only to jump back as it revealed an alien skeleton. Lily's hand shot out to grab the Doctor's arm in shock while Amy and Avery took steps back in alarm as the Doctor soniced the skeleton.

"Dead." He muttered, and Lily hissed, "You think? The question is, what killed him?"

"The Siren?" Avery asked slowly.

The Doctor didn't answer as he walked deeper into the room, which revealed the bridge. The entire crew was dead, however, their skeletal remains still seated in their seats. The Doctor examined the remains carefully while Amy stared at the windows of the ship, through which they could now see Avery's captain's cabin.

"You were right." Amy noted. "There was something staring at us the whole time. How long has this ship been marooned here?"

"Long enough for the Captain to have run out of grog." Avery pointed out, but Lily answered, "No, they're still in their seats. This makes less sense."

"I don't understand." Amy murmured, frowning. "If this is the Captain, then what's the Siren?"

"Same as us. A stowaway." The Doctor answered as he soniced the skeletons.

"She killed it?" Amy asked but the Doctor corrected as he read his sonic with a flourish, "Human bacteria."

"Oh..." Lily blinked, understanding, while Amy asked, "What?"

"A virus from our planet." The Doctor explained to Amy. "Airborne, travelling through the portal. That's what killed it. Didn't get its jabs."

He moved on, and the group followed as they made their way deeper into the ship.

"What're we doing now?" Avery asked and Lily glanced back.

"Isn't it obvious? We're looking for your son and Rory." She replied before facing the front again. "And our Sexy."

"Your what?" Avery balked but that was when the doors to another room slid open and the group found themselves in a sickbay of sorts.

There were people all over the room, hanging on beds that floated all over the room, all of them connected to tubes that hung down from the ceiling. On one side was a rack of data packs and the Doctor moved to examine those while the others looked around the room in amazement.

"McGrath!" Avery gasped as he recognized one of the men. "He's one of my men."

"He's still breathing." Amy pointed out, and Avery breathed, "My entire crew is here."

but then their eyes landed on the figures they had been searching for.

"Toby!"

"Rory!"

"The Tardis!"

Lily shook her head affectionately after the Doctor as he rushed to the Tardis, parked at the far end of the room, while Amy and Avery leant over their respective husband and son.

"We have to get them out of here." Avery said urgently as he felt his son, but Lily pointed out, "Hang on! Look closer."

She pointed at the boy, who had been pale and sickly aboard the ship but was now glowing despite being unconscious.

"His fever's gone." Lily explained while the Doctor came over and soniced the boy to confirm her analysis.

He then went to sonic Rory, and Amy pointed out, "He looks so well."

"She's keeping him alive." The Doctor explained. "His brain is still active, but all its cellular activity is suspended. It's not a curse."

He picked up Rory's hand and examined the black spot before comparing it to the data pad he'd picked up earlier.

"It's a tissue sample. Why get samples of people you are about to kill?"

"Help me get him up?" Amy asked as Lily wandered over as well.

The Doctor began to remove the tube that was connected to Rory's neck, but an alarm began to beep immediately.

"What'd you do?" Lily demanded, just as the Siren's singing began.

"She's coming." The Doctor whispered and Lily grabbed his hand and pulled him quickly away to hide. Avery and Amy joined them as they hid behind a bank of monitors just before the Siren appeared, still singing as she moved over to Rory. She stopped beside him where he was starting to wake and convulse, and almost instantly Rory calmed down and fell asleep again to her singing.

"Anaesthetic." The Doctor breathed at the same time Lily whispered, "Ohh… this is good."

"What?" Avery asked, and the Doctor explained, "The music. The song. So she anaesthetises people and puts their body in stasis."

The Siren had moved over to Toby, singing to the boy next, and Avery leapt out, gun raised.

"Avery, no!" The Doctor cried, alarmed, but the captain ignored him as he fired at the potential threat to his son.

Instantly, the Siren turned red and her singing stopped as she hissed furiously instead. The Siren began to advance on Avery as Lily cried, "Oh, no!"

Amy clutched her, pulling her back as Lily started forward… when suddenly the Doctor sneezed.

The Siren stopped in her tracks, her gaze turning to the Doctor instead. He glanced up, almost sheepishly, and the Siren's hands began to glow with fire as she began to advance on him instead.

"Doctor!" Lily cried while he scrambled back, muttering, "Fire. That's new. What does fire do? Burn? Yes."

"Doctor!" Lily cried as she pulled away from Amy and ran for her husband.

The Siren was advancing on the Doctor as he backed away, still muttering, "Destroy? What else? Sterilise! I sneezed. I've brought germs in!"

He blew his nose on a handkerchief and quickly threw it to the floor. The Siren blasted the offending article immediately, still red and hissing and Lily grabbed the Doctor's arm.

"Stop!" She cried.

"Lily!" The Doctor gasped in shock, but Lily grasped his arm as she stayed firmly before him while clutching her stomach with her other hand as she snapped, "I'm your wife, I'm not about to let anything kill you!"

Almost instantly, the Siren calmed down, turning green-blue once more as a serene expression returned to her face.

They all stared at her, and the Doctor breathed, "Oh..."

"You're hopeless." Lily breathed in similar understanding and the Doctor pointed out, "You didn't figure it out either."

"I've only seen her twice now." Lily shot back, and Amy asked, "What's going on?"

"She's a doctor." Lily explained.

Avery and Amy gaped while the Doctor explained, "This is an automated sick bay. It's teleporting everyone on board. The crew are dead, and so the sick bay has had nothing to do. It's been looking after humanity whilst it's been idle. Look at her. A virtual doctor able to sterilise a whole room."

"Able to burn your face off." Amy retorted, and the Doctor waved the minor detail away.

"Can I touch him now?" Amy demanded as she stood beside Rory, and the Doctor hesitated as he looked from the Siren to Amy.

"Amy, explain to her who you are." The Doctor ordered. "Like just now, when Lily explained she was my wife. The Siren backed off. She'll let you help Rory as well."

Amy pointed to herself as she said, "I'm his wife." She gestured at Rory. "Look, he's very ill, okay? I just want to look after him. Why won't you let me near my husband?"

The Siren held out a hand, and a circle of light appeared around it.

"Consent form." The Doctor murmured before he looked at Amy. "Sign it. Put your hand in the light. Rory's sick. You have to take full responsibility."

Amy did as she was told, and the Siren disappeared as soon as Amy's hand entered the circle. Amy quickly switched off Rory's life support, and immediately Rory began to choke.

"He can't breathe. Turn it back on." The Doctor ordered and Amy hastily turned the switch.

"What do we do?" Amy pleaded as she looked at her friends while Lily bit her lip. "I can't just leave him here."

"He'll die if you take him out." Avery pointed out from where he was looking after his son.

Amy bent over her husband, brushing back his hair and she whispered, "Rory? Rory, wake up."

Rory stirred, his eyes fluttering open.

"Where am I?" He murmured, and the Doctor explained helpfully, "You're in a hospital. If you leave, you might die."

Lily smacked him while Amy added quietly, "But if you don't, you'll have to stay forever."

"What?" Rory asked, and Lily explained softly, "If you leave, you'd be back to drowning. It could kill you."

Rory blinked before his gaze became determined.

"I'm a nurse." He suddenly pointed out and Amy blinked.

"What?" She asked, and Rory explained hurriedly, "I can teach you how to save me."

"Whoa. Hold on." Amy began but Rory pointed out, "I was drowning. You just have to resuscitate me."

"Just?" Amy repeated incredulously, but Rory insisted, "I trust you."

"What about them?" Amy asked, gesturing at the Doctor and Lily, who balked. "I mean, why do I have to be the one? Why do I have to save you?"

"Because I know you'll never give up." Rory replied quietly. Amy blinked back tears, on the verge of crying as she was faced with the most difficult choice she'd had to make yet.

The Doctor and Lily backed away as Amy struggled to make her decision, and the Doctor moved to talk to Avery quietly.

"We have to send this ship back into space." He said in a low voice. "Imagine if the Siren got ashore. She would have to process every injured human."

"What about Toby?" Avery asked in an equally low voice, and the Doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry." He replied softly. "Typhoid fever. Once he returns it's only a matter of time."

Avery pursed his lips as he looked down at his son, before he asked abruptly, "What if I stay with him, here? The Siren will look after him. I can't go back to England. And what home does he have now, if not with me?"

"Do you think you can sail this thing?" The Doctor asked, and Avery smiled lightly.

"Just point me to the atom accelerator." He answered. The Doctor smiled back and clasped the other man's shoulder. Avery nodded at Lily who smiled at him kindly and returned the nod.

They returned to Amy and Rory as Rory said to Amy firmly, "I know you can do this. Of course, if you muck it up I am going to be really cross. And dead."

He succeeded in his goal as Amy let out a watery chuckle.

"I'll see you in a minute." She promised.

Rory took a deep breath and the Doctor ripped off Rory's restraints. Instantly, he began to convulse while alarms beeped, but the Doctor hurriedly picked up the flailing man, carrying him swiftly into the Tardis.

Amy and Lily were right behind him and as the Doctor lay Rory down, Amy bent down and began CPR.

"Come on, come on..." Lily muttered as she and the Doctor watched while Amy alternated between breathing into Rory's mouth and pumping his chest.

"Come on, Rory." The Doctor also began to mutter as they both prayed for a miracle. "Not here. Not this way. Not today."

"Please, please, please wake up." Amy begged between her own breaths. "Wake up. Wake up. Come on. Come on."

For the longest time, there was nothing. Lily bit back sobs while the Doctor bowed his head and Amy cried as she breathed into Rory's mouth. And then, Rory started coughing up water.

"Oh, thank the stars." Lily sighed, leaning heavily against the Doctor who wrapped his arm around her in equal relief as Amy sobbed while hugging Rory, who dazedly hugged her back.

"Amy." He whispered. "Amy, you did it. You did it!"

* * *

Later, they stood all together, crowded around the console smiling and laughing as usual.

"I thought I was an excellent pirate." Amy grinned and Rory teased, "I thought you were an excellent nurse."

"Easy there, tiger." Lily laughed. "Go get a room first!"

"We might just." Amy winked at her husband, who grinned back.

"All right, goodnight you two." The Doctor called from where he stood by the Tardis monitor.

Lily smiled as she hugged her friends while Amy replied with an equally amused smile, "Goodnight. See you in the morning, Lily. Doctor."

"Goodnight, Amelia." The Doctor answered, making Amy and Rory frown.

"You only call me Amelia when you're worrying about me." Amy pointed out as she eyed the Doctor suspiciously.

Lily glanced back at the Doctor, who stilled briefly before he looked back at Amy.

"I always worry about you." He answered lightly before shooing the couple off. "Now go to bed, Pond."

Amy shrugged but left with her husband and Lily returned to the Doctor's side just as he hastily switched something on the monitor.

"Is she still-?" Lily began and the Doctor nodded.

"Oh, Amy." Lily sighed while the Doctor glanced down at his hands; his wedding ring to be exact.

' _Oh, Lily Tyler._ ' He thought to himself as his hands tightened on the console. ' _What have we gotten into this time?_ '


	56. 18-1 Doctor's Wife

Lily frowned as she watched the Doctor.

He was waiting, which was unusual for him. Then again, they could hardly kick Amy and Rory out while the Doctor sought his answers to the mystery of Amy's pregnancy-non-pregnancy so that wasn't what puzzled her. What was currently causing the frown on Lily's face was the fact that the Doctor had seemed disinclined to share his ideas with her as of late. Perhaps she shouldn't have shot down his most recent idea as quickly as she had… but really, "maybe Rory's little guys are facing difficulties swimming across the pond" was not a plausible reason.

That said, it wasn't exactly like he was sulking, Lily reflected, as the Doctor continued to gesticulate as he said enthusiastically, "And then we discovered it wasn't the Robot King after all, it was the real one. Fortunately, I was able to re-attach the head."

"Do you believe any of this stuff?" Rory asked Amy, who replied in a flat tone, "I was there."

Rory frowned at his wife as she stalked off. He and Lily exchanged looks just as a light blinked on the console and the Doctor bemoaned, "Oh, it's the warning lights. I'm getting rid of those. They never stop."

The Doctor pottered about the console while Rory went after Amy. Lily had a very good idea why the redhead was in a bad mood: she'd recently shared her opinion again to tell the Doctor again about Lake Silencio to Rory and Lily's firm refute, leaving her in a permanently sour mood. Lily shook her head; the Doctor was suspicious enough as it was without Amy's sulking, they really didn't need to alert him to the issue even further.

Sighing to herself, Lily called to her husband, "What is it this time?"

"Oh, probably nothing." The Doctor waved his hand airily. "You know, we should really start looking for a solar tsunami."

"Whatever for?" Lily asked, bewildered.

The Doctor opened his mouth to answer, when suddenly there was a knock on the Tardis door. From outside. While they were in space.

"What was that?" Amy asked as she came back, puzzled.

"The door." The Doctor answered, equally confused. "It knocked."

"Right. We are in deep space." Rory pointed out as he came up beside Amy while the Doctor walked slowly toward the door.

"Thank you, Centurion Obvious." Lily replied and Rory shot her a look.

She just smiled back teasingly, just as the Doctor reached the doors, pulling them wide open to reveal a small glowing box outside.

"Oh, come here." The Doctor breathed, his face lighting up. "Come here, you scrumptious little beauty."

"What is that?" Lily asked.

The box suddenly flew inside the Tardis, flying passed the Doctor who hurried back inside… just in time to get hit on the chest by the box.

"Doctor?" Lily asked, bewildered, while Rory asked incredulously, "A box?"

"Doctor, what is it?" Amy asked as the Doctor picked up the box with a wide and bright smile.

"I've got mail." He said delightedly.

"From… a box?" Amy asked, and the Doctor replied, "Of course, Pond, keep up."

Amy frowned while the Doctor hurried back to the console.

"Doctor, what exactly is the box?" Lily tried and the Doctor beamed.

"Time Lord emergency messaging system." He explained as he moved about the console with jittery energy. "In an emergency, we'd wrap up thoughts in psychic containers and send them through time and space. Anyway."

He rushed up to Lily as he burst out excitedly, "There's a living Time Lord still out there, and it's one of the good ones!"

"What?" Lily's jaw fell open, while Rory protested, "You said there weren't any other Time Lords left."

"There are no Time Lords left anywhere in the universe." The Doctor answered impatiently. "But the universe isn't where we're going."

He tossed the cube to Lily, who caught it and examined it.

"See that snake?" The Doctor asked, and Lily nodded as she looked at the picture of a snake swallowing its own tail carved into the side of the cube.

"The mark of the Corsair." The Doctor said excitedly as he took back the box. "Fantastic bloke. He had that snake as a tattoo in every regeneration. Didn't feel like himself unless he had the tattoo. Or herself, a couple of times. Ooo, she was a bad girl."

"Oi! Married!" Lily scolded playfully and the Doctor whined with equal jest, "I'm 908 years old, love, I've got a fair past."

At that moment something sparked on the console, banging as it blew and the lights dimmed in the Tardis.

"Woah! What is happening?" Rory yelled, and the Doctor shouted back gleefully, "We're leaving the universe."

"How can you leave the universe?" Amy yelled back, and the Doctor explained, "With enormous difficulty. Right now I'm burning up Tardis rooms to give us some welly."

"Don't you dare get rid of the kitchen, some of us need to eat!" Lily yelled, and the Doctor shouted back, "Don't worry, love, I would never do that to you! However - goodbye, swimming pool! Goodbye, scullery! Sayonara, squash court seven."

"I thought you liked that court?" Rory yelled but Amy corrected, "He likes squash court eight, though I still don't know why."

"Don't ask!" Lily answered just before there was an almighty crash that had them all stumbling as they landed with a mighty thud.

The Tardis hissed into silence, and the group slowly lifted their heads.

"Okay, okay. Where are we?" Amy asked and the Doctor answered softly, "Outside the universe, where we've never, ever been."

The last lights of the Tardis went out completely, and Lily paled.

"Is that meant to be happening?" Rory asked slowly, while Lily checked the Tardis console quickly.

"Doctor." She called, alarmed at what she was reading, and the Doctor hurriedly came over to check.

"The power, it's draining." He stared at the console. "Everything's draining. But it can't... That's, that's impossible."

"What is that?" Rory asked slowly, and the Doctor replied in confusion, "It's as if the Matrix, the soul of the Tardis, has just... _vanished_. Where would it go?"

He stared at Lily who stared right back, wide-eyed. And dared Amy and Rory say it, but for once the time-travelling couple actually looked… scared.

"Shall we?" Lily gestured toward the door and the Doctor nodded.

"But stay close." He told his wife, and Lily nodded.

Together, the group walked out of the door, keeping together. The first thing Lily noticed about the planet was that it was ruined - like an enormous space junkyard spanning across an entire planet.

"Why would a Time Lord be sending a distress call from here?" Lily wondered, and Amy asked the Doctor, "What kind of trouble did your friend say he or she is in?"

"He was in a bind." The Doctor replied vaguely. "A bit of a pickle. Sort of distressed."

Amy and Lily exchanged looks, and the former shook her head fondly while Amy sighed, "Ah, you can't just say you don't know."

The redhead peered about at nearby garbage while the Doctor looked off into the distance where a giant ruined spaceship engine was buried under piles of junk and other broken parts. Lily was similarly looking around with a small frown on her face while Rory piped up, "But what is this place? The scrap yard at the end of the universe?"

"Not end of," the Doctor corrected. "Outside of."

"How we can we be outside the universe?" Rory protested. "The universe is everything."

"Imagine a great big soap bubble," the Doctor began, "with one of those tiny little bubbles on the outside."

"Okay…" Rory said slowly and the Doctor added, "Well, it's nothing like that."

Rory rolled his eyes while the Doctor turned back to the Tardis and complained, "Completely drained. Look at her."

"Wait. So we're in a tiny bubble universe, sticking to the side of the bigger bubble universe?" Amy asked.

"Yeah." The Doctor said at the same time that Lily said, "No."

Amy raised a ginger brow and the Doctor admitted, "Okay, no. But if it helps, yes."

"Doctor, we're stuck outside of the universe." Lily pointed out. He waved her concern away.

"This place is full of rift energy." He answered impatiently. "She'll probably refuel just by being here. Now, this place. What do we think, eh? Gravity's almost Earth normal, air's breathable, but it smells like-"

"Armpits." Amy muttered and the Doctor agreed, "Armpits."

"What about all this stuff? Where did this come from?" Rory gestured at the piles of garbage and the Doctor explained, "Well, there's a rift. Now and then stuff gets sucked through it. Not a bubble, a plughole. The universe has a plughole and we've just fallen down it."

"No, you threw us down into it." Lily corrected as she picked up a rather familiar-looking red lever.

She frowned at it at the same time that the Doctor called back to her, "You know you love me."

"Sometimes." Lily called back lightly, even as she stared at the lever with a puzzled expression.

"Most of the time." The Doctor countered, when a feminine voice broke through their jest.

"Thief! Thief!"

The group turned, startled, to see a woman with wild black hair dressed in a Victorian-tyoe blue dress running toward them excitedly.

"You're my thief!" The woman squealed happily as she grabbed the Doctor's arms.

"She's dangerous. Guard yourselves!" Another older voice called.

Lily was vaguely aware of two elderly figures hobbling along toward them but her attention was almost fully absorbed by the loud and excited woman currently holding her husband.

"Look at you!" The woman jabbered as she looked at the Doctor, who stared back blankly. "Goodbye. No, not goodbye, what's the other one?"

She kissed him enthusiastically, startling both the Doctor and Lily.

"OI!" Amy bellowed while the elderly man called as he came up to them at last, "Watch out. Careful-"

The woman let go of the Doctor with a laugh and he wiped his lips in disgust as her eyes fell on the stunned Lily.

"Oh! And you! You're the flower, my thief's flower!" The woman shouted enthusiastically. "You're also… the other one!"

Before Lily could react, the strange woman lunged at her and kissed her too. Amy and Rory froze in their spots while Lily's eyes went wide in horror. The Doctor pulled the strange woman, who was laughing deliriously now, off his wife and the strange elderly man and woman helped to pull the crazy woman away.

"Keep back from her." The elderly man advised the shocked group as the Doctor hugged a dazed Lily to his chest. "Welcome, strangers. Lovely. Sorry about the mad person."

"Why am I a thief? What have I stolen?" The Doctor demanded as he stared at the woman suspiciously from over Lily's head.

"Me." The woman replied as if it were obvious. "You're going to steal me. No, you have stolen me. You are stealing me. Oh tenses are difficult, aren't they?"

Lily stared at the complaining woman who spoke almost faster than the Doctor when he was on a roll - or about to lie - before their attention moved to the old woman who clucked, "Oh. Oh, we are sorry, my dove. She's off her head. They call me Auntie."

She grasped the Doctor's hand in greeting while Lily watched the strange woman who was now walking like a chicken around them.

"And I'm Uncle." The man was saying to the Doctor. "I'm everybody's Uncle. Just keep back from this one."

He nodded at the strange woman who had wandered back toward the Doctor and Lily.

"She bites!" He warned and Lily started when the strange woman piped up in surprise, "Do I? Excellent."

She suddenly bit down on the Doctor's ear like a dog.

"Ow! OW!" The Doctor yelled and Lily grabbed the woman by the ear.

"EEK!" The woman shrieked as Lily pulled her off the Doctor, who clutched his ear. "Oh! You are certainly naughty, you haven't pulled the teacher act in a while but that definitely was quite delightful."

Lily stared at the mad woman who was now beaming at her excitedly.

"What-?" Lily began but the woman had continued on obliviously, "You know, I can see why he likes the biting, biting is excellent. It's like kissing, only there's a winner."

"So sorry." Uncle apologized to them. "She's doolally."

"No, I'm not doolally!" The woman answered impatiently. "I'm…"

She trailed off strangely and they all stared at her as the woman hummed, as though in deep thought.

"I'm…" She paused before the Doctor and Lily once more, the Doctor watching the woman warily and quite crossly after she'd bitten his ear half off. "It's on the tip of my tongue. I've just had a new idea about kissing!"

Lily stared at the woman's abrupt change of topic and the way she seemed to flip from one thought to another without missing a heartbeat. It reminded her of the Doctor, except madder, something she hadn't thought was possible until just now.

The strange woman suddenly lunged at her again as she said excitedly, "Come here, you."

Lily jumped while the Doctor pushed his way between them, only for the woman to switch quickly to trying to kiss him. The Doctor bolted, taking Lily by the hand as he went, and the strange woman chased them as Auntie shouted, "No, Idris, no."

Idris stopped midway through chasing Rory - to his horror and Amy's furious glare - and she turned to the Doctor.

"Oh, but now you're angry." She said randomly. "No, you're not. You _will_ be angry. The little boxes will make you angry."

Lily's eyes widened while the Doctor stiffened.

"Sorry?" The Doctor demanded as both he and Lily thought of the box that had brought the message to him. "The little what? Boxes?"

"Oh, ho, no." Idris suddenly broke into peals of laughter. "Your chin is hilarious!"

And then just as quickly as she had laughed she was looking at Rory.

"It means the smell of dust after rain." She told him snootily.

"What does?" Rory asked, bewildered.

"Petrichor." Idris replied from nowhere.

Rory glanced at Amy as he said in a confused tone, "But I didn't ask."

"Not yet. But you will." Idris answered.

"Idris, who are you?" Lily broke in. Idris looked affronted.

"You know me!" Idris exclaimed and Lily's eyes narrowed at the way Idris's dark eyes met hers without a hint of discomfort.

"Idris." Auntie piped up. "I think you should have a rest."

"Rest!" Idris nodded violently. "Yes, yes. Good idea. I'll just see if there's an off switch."

And with that she abruptly collapsed. Only Rory's quick thinking stopped her from crashing to the ground as he caught the woman before laying her down gently. Lily peered down in alarm at the unconscious woman while Uncle asked, "Is that it? She dead now? So sad."

"No, she's still breathing." Rory answered reassuringly as he felt for the woman's pulse.

Lily however frowned at Uncle, not that he noticed as he turned and called, "Nephew, take Idris somewhere she can not bite people."

They looked over as an Ood appeared from the shadows, and the Doctor brightened up at the familiar species.

"Oh, hello!" The Doctor said cheerfully while Amy's face crinkled.

"Doctor, what is that?" The redhead demanded and the Doctor reassured, "Oh, no, it's all right. It's an Ood. Oods are good. Love an Ood."

"Unless they're being controlled by the Devil." Lily muttered and the Doctor shushed her.

"Hush now, darling. Hello, Ood." The Doctor beamed as he came up to the Ood who didn't reply."Can't you talk? Oh, I see. It's damaged. May I? It might just be on the wrong frequency."

He opened up the communication ball that all Oods carried, and he began to scan it with his sonic as Auntie explained, "Nephew was broken when he came here. Why, he was half dead. House repaired him. House repaired all of us."

"House?" Lily repeated and Auntie nodded. Lily looked the woman up and down again, her eyes narrowing at the hobbled way Auntie and Uncle walked, just as the Ood suddenly said in the Corsair's voice, "If you are receiving this message, please help me.

Lily paled, frightened as they heard other indistinct voices chattering in the background while the Corsair called desperately, "Send a signal to the High Council of the Time Lords on Gallifrey. Tell them that I am still alive. I don't know where I am. I'm on some rock-like planet."

The Ood shut off its communication ball, leaving them in silence.

"Doctor..." Lily whispered and he murmured though he grasped her hand tightly, "It's… all right."

"No, it's not." Lily replied gravely. "This isn't possible."

"What isn't?" Rory asked tentatively, watching the disturbed couple. "And what was that? Was that him?"

"No, no." The Doctor replied slowly. "It's picking up something else. Something that's not..."

He turned to Auntie and Uncle, and he demanded, "Who else is here? Tell me. Show me. Show me."

"Just what you see." Auntie stammered nervously as she gestured around. "Just the four of us, and the House. Nephew, will you take Idris somewhere safe where she can't hurt nobody?"

The Ood moved at once to move Idris's unconscious body while the Doctor demanded intently, "The House? What's the House?"

"House is all around you, my sweets." Auntie laughed and Uncle hopped up and down. "You are standing on him. This is the House. This world."

"But you said he fixed you up." Lily frowned and Auntie nodded. "How did he fix you if he's the planet?"

"Because He's House." Auntie answered before she tilted her head at Lily. "Would you like to meet him?"

"Meet him?" Rory repeated questioningly, frowning in confusion, but Lily said without missing a beat, "We'd love to."

"This way." Uncle said brusquely, he and Auntie turning away to lead them off further into the piles of trash and away from the Tardis. "Come, please. Come."

The Doctor and Lily followed behind. As Amy and Rory hurried to follow, Lily whispered anxiously, "Doctor, Idris-"

"I'm more concerned about this House." The Doctor answered back but Lily hissed, "I think she's a time traveller - maybe even a Time Lord."

The Doctor glanced at her sharply and Lily explained in a low voice as they walked, "She reminds me of what you were like when we first met, when you had just regenerated that Christmas we were at Aunt Jackie's. She was speaking at a mile per hour about the wrong tense and words she couldn't remember, and now she's passed out like a light at the drop of the hat. Not to mention I'm positive she knows who we are - it's like how River knew us in that Library."

"You may be right." The Doctor muttered in quiet agreement. "Either way, we need to find out more."

It was at that point that Amy and Rory caught up and the redhead asked her friends in a low voice, "What's going on? What were those voices?"

"Time Lords." The Doctor breathed back and Amy's eyes widened.

She and Rory exchanged stunned looks as the Doctor continued, "It's not just the Corsair. Somewhere close by there are lots and lots of Time Lords."

*A/N Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of this story and for being so patient. I want to thank each and every person who reads and reviews, and in advance of the end of the year, happy holidays everyone!


	57. 18-2 House

"Come, come."

Uncle ushered them along deeper inside a strange building, which looked like a circular abandoned warehouse crossed with a broken down alien spaceship. The foursome looked around warily as they followed Uncle and Auntie, while Uncle led them to a grated floor in the corner.

"You can see the House and he can look at you, and he can look at you." Uncle was saying as he stopped beside the grating, where the Doctor knelt down without really waiting for Uncle to finish speaking.

"I see. This asteroid is sentient." The Doctor mused as he stared down at the glowing green sentience below.

"We walk on his back, breathe his air, eat his food-" Auntie listed, and Amy wrinkled her nose.

"Smell its armpits." The redhead muttered, making Lily almost smile.

Suddenly, Uncle and Auntie stiffed like dolls, and they spoke in a strangely deep, refined voice that echoed around the room, "And do my will. You are most welcome, travellers."

The Doctor had straightened up at once, and he stared at the two puppet people while Amy and Rory gawked. Lily held her stomach, suddenly feeling a little ill - something about the voice wasn't right. She stared at the Ood in the corner, Nephew, who had also lifted his orb and through which House's voice was speaking. It reminded her too much of the Ood who had been controlled by the Devil himself, and it made her as uneasy now as it had back then.

"Doctor," Amy broke the silence. "That voice. That's the asteroid talking?"

"Yes." The Doctor answered before he called into the air in general. "So you're like a sea urchin. Hard outer surface, that's the planet we're walking on. Big, squashy, oogly thing inside, that's you."

"That is correct, Time Lord." House answered through Auntie and Uncle's mouths.

"Ah." The Doctor raised a brow. "So you've met Time Lords before?"

"Many travellers have come through the rift," House answered. "Like Auntie and Uncle and Nephew. I repair them when they break."

"And the Time Lords are still here?" Lily spoke up, her tone casually inquisitive.

"Not any more," House answered smoothly. "But there have been many Tardises on my back in days gone by."

"Well, there won't be any more after us." The Doctor answered freely. "Last Time Lord. Last Tardis."

There was a slight pause before House answered, "A pity. Your people were so kind. Be here in safety, Doctor. Rest, feed, if you will."

Auntie, Uncle and Nephew relaxed, back to themselves. They nodded along while Rory came over to hiss in the Doctor's ear, "We're not actually going to stay here, are we?"

"Well, it seems like a friendly planet." The Doctor answered, waving his hand lightly. "Literally. Mind if we poke around a bit?"

He looked to Auntie and Uncle as he spoke. Auntie beamed back as she answered sweetly, "You can look all you want. Go. Look."

Auntie limped forward and she touched Lily's face as she added fondly, "House loves you."

Lily tried not to stare at the woman's hands caressing her face gently. She noticed the Doctor's gaze following the woman's hands furtively, but neither of them said anything as the Doctor sidled up beside his wife once more.

"Come on then, gang." The Doctor announced as he steered the group away. "We're just going to, er, see the sights."

The second they were away from the room, wandering down another corridor, Lily whispered, "Doctor-"

"I know." He answered just as quietly.

Lily tried not to be sick as she pictured Auntie's hands again from when she had just glimpsed them as they had come at her face. The old woman's mismatched hands. Not to mention-

"Doctor, the woman earlier - Idris." Lily said quietly. "She said that you'd get the little boxes would make you angry."

The Doctor glanced at her and then back to the front.

"I know." He repeated. Her hand slipped into his briefly and she squeezed it.

"Be careful, my love." She whispered so lowly only the Doctor's advanced hearing allowed him to pick it up. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." The Doctor promised, squeezing her hand back. "No matter where in time or space, I will always find you, my Lily."

Lily nodded and the couple lapsed into silence once more just as Rory came up behind them and asked, "So, as soon as the Tardis is refuelled, we go, yeah?"

"No." The Doctor shook his head. "There are Time Lords here. I heard them and they need me."

"You told me about your people." Amy responded shrewdly, her eyes narrowing as she examined her old friend.

The Doctor was usually harder to read but Lily was much easier; maybe it was because she was also human or because she was just not the liar the Doctor was. Either way, Amy could read the unease on the brunette woman's face as she glanced around the corridors.

"You told me what you did." Amy continued and the Doctor replied a little absently, "Yes, yes, but if they're like the Corsair, they're good ones and I can save them."

"And then tell them you destroyed the others?" Amy asked skeptically.

"I can explain. Tell them why I had to." The Doctor answered as he peered around the corner.

Amy opened her mouth, but Lily glanced back and shook her head. Taking her friend's hint, Amy bit back her observations and she asked instead, "What do you need from me?"

The Doctor paused as they reached a fork in the corridors; for all the world he looked as if he had stopped because he was stumped but Lily knew better.

"My screwdriver." The Doctor said to Amy as he turned to the redhead. "I left it in the Tardis. It's in my jacket."

"You're wearing your jacket." Rory pointed out, gesturing unnecessarily at the Doctor's tweed jacket.

"My other jacket." The Doctor explained and Rory raised a brow.

"You have two of those?" He asked skeptically, but Lily spoke up.

"I can go." She informed the Doctor. "I know where it is."

"I'll go with you." Amy offered. "I don't think _you_ should be wandering around alone."

"I'm pregnant, not made of porcelain." Lily smiled lightly.

Amy grinned back before she handed the Doctor her mobile.

"Just in case - we won't be a minute." Amy promised as she and Lily started off. "We'll call you from the Tardis. Rory, look after him."

Rory opened his mouth to protest but his wife and best friend were already walking off. Rory turned to the Doctor, who smiled as he said, "Rory, look after them."

The Doctor walked off down the right corridor, and he smiled to himself when he heard Rory sigh and mutter, "Yeah."

The Doctor glanced back briefly to watch Rory trailing after Lily and Amy, and his smile dropped the moment he knew they couldn't see him any more. He wouldn't have fooled Lily anyway, but she'd guessed his plan at once judging from what she had said and by the way she'd volunteered and maneuvered the situation to have Amy and ultimately Rory go with her.

' _Oh, my Lily._ ' The Doctor sighed as he started off once more after the faint cries he could hear coming from deep inside the building. ' _You always did know how I think._ '

* * *

Amy and Lily had almost reached the Tardis by the time Rory caught up - he really needed to work out, he thought to himself, if he couldn't even catch up to a six month pregnant woman - and Amy finally noticed him.

"I told you to look after him." She chided, making Rory frown and pout.

"He'll be fine." The former Centurion protested. "He's a Time Lord."

Amy had reached the Tardis door by then, and she opened it for Lily before whirling to face her husband. And Lily almost laughed when Amy said to Rory flatly, "It's just what they're called. It doesn't _actually_ mean he knows what he's doing."

Rory rolled his eyes as he followed Amy into the mostly dead Tardis, closing the door behind him. Lily was already digging up the Doctor's spare jacket while Amy moved to the Tardis phone, but the redhead paused before dialing to looked at her brunette friend.

"He wants forgiveness, doesn't he?" Amy asked Lily shrewdly. "That's why he's acting all hopeful at the thought of finding more Time Lords, instead of being scared of how they'd react. He wants to be redeemed."

Lily's hands stilled over the Doctor's spare tweed jacket, which he had purchased after the Christmas incident with Kazran Sardick wherein he had almost ruined his old one after jumping into Kazran's sooty chimney. Looking back at the Scot, Lily turned the question back around as she asked, "Don't we all, in the end?"

Amy conceded and began dialing her mobile number while Lily pretended to search for a sonic screwdriver she knew wasn't there.

"Hey, we're here." Amy said when the Doctor picked up. "Screwdriver's in your jacket, yeah?"

"Yeah, it's around somewhere. Have a good look." The Doctor answered, just as Lily heard the Tardis door click loudly as it was locked remotely.

Both Amy and Rory frowned as they looked at the locked door, Amy hanging up while Rory went to check. Lily straightened, putting the jacket aside now that she didn't need to pretend as Rory tugged on the door before he looked back at the two women with a puzzled expression.

"It's locked." Rory said and Amy whirled on Lily immediately.

"What have you and the Doctor done?" She demanded. "And how did you trick me?"

Lily grimaced.

"I'm a better liar than you think, Amy." Lily admitted.

"Clearly." Amy ground her teeth while Rory groaned.

"You… lie by omission." He sighed. Lily nodded.

"But why did you lie?" Amy demanded.

"The Doctor has a very bad habit of sending his friends back to the Tardis so that they're safe and ready to be jettisoned to safety at the press of his sonic." Lily explained.

"So, he has his sonic." Rory sighed while Amy demanded, "But what about him?"

"He wouldn't dare send me off without him." Lily scoffed. "I would never let him. But, I do also know that the Tardis's Protocol One requires minimal power to fetch the Doctor and get us out of here. That's why we're here."

"No, that's why you're here." Amy said angrily.

"You're here to kickstart the minimal power somehow, but _we_ ," she gestured to herself and Rory. "Are here because the Doctor didn't want us involved."

"Really, Amy?" Lily sighed. "Do you think so little of me?"

Amy paused and Lily explained, "Protocol One can pick up the Doctor, but I'm betting he's preparing for a fast escape. The Tardis's inside is big but remember that outside it's still pretty small, making the landing range not that large. And we're expecting several Time Lords to be with him - in the worst case scenario, one of us could be left behind by accident because they were outside the Tardis's landing area."

"So you two wanted to mitigate that risk." Rory deduced. He looked at Amy.

"It makes sense." He reasoned and the redhead folded her arms.

"I still don't like it." She muttered and Lily agreed as she began to work on the console, "Trust me, if I thought he would less reckless if we did anything else, I wouldn't have gone with his plan. But, I don't want to risk any of us being left here by mistake either, so this will have to do."

It was as she spoke that the Tardis suddenly jostled to life.

"Oh, that was much… faster than I was expecting." Rory said, looking at her in surprise. "Although, is everything supposed to be green outside?"

He was staring at the windows on the Tardis doors, through which green light was shining through - green light that was eerily familiar. Lily's face was pale and Amy said slowly, "I don't think this is you, is it?"

"No." Lily admitted as they all stared at the light outside. Amy closed her eyes.

"Sometimes I hate being right." The redhead muttered.

As the Tardis's power returned more and more, Lily cried, "Amy, the Doctor!"

"On it!" Amy shouted as she dialed her mobile on the Tardis phone once more. "Doctor, pick up, please pick up. Pick up!"

* * *

The Doctor stood before Idris where she was sitting in a fully metal cage, his green eyes blazing while she looked back at him quite calmly.

The discovery that the cries for help were nothing but a trick had been enough to incense him; the realization that all the Time Lords whose voices were using for the trick were now dead - including the Corsair, whose arm had gone to Aunti while his spine and kidneys went to Uncle - was enough to send him into a fully blown rage. Only Lily's warning from earlier helped him keep enough cool to think somewhat clearly - which was when he wondered how Idris had known the boxes would make him angry. Hence why the Doctor now stood before the woman, frustrated as she answered his question in equal riddles.

"I don't understand. Who are you?" The Doctor demanded and Idris answered indignantly, "Do you not know me? Just because they put me in here?"

"They said you were dangerous." The Doctor pointed out and Idris rolled her eyes.

"Not the cage, stupid." She replied. "In here."

She pressed her fingers to her temples briefly before she clung to the cage bars as she repeated, "They put me in here. I'm the..."

She broke off, and the Doctor frowned at her while Idris stared at him briefly before she groaned in frustration.

"Oh, what do you call me?"

She frowned before she brightened and looked back at the Doctor as she explained, "We travel. I go-"

She made wheezy noises - familiar wheezy noises.

"The Tardis?" The Doctor asked in disbelief and Idris brightened.

"Time And Relative Dimension In Space." She said proudly. "Yes, that's it. Names are funny. It's me. I'm the Tardis."

"No, you're not!" The Doctor retorted impatiently. "You're a bitey, mad lady who tried to kiss my wife!"

Idris shrugged, acknowledging that while the Doctor paced away as he continued, "The Tardis is up and downy stuff in a big blue box."

"Yes, that's me." Idris answered brightly. "A Type Forty Tardis. I was already a museum piece when you were young."

The Doctor stopped in his tracks, stunned, as Idris continued, "And the first time you touched my console you said-"

"I said you were the most beautiful thing I had ever known." The Doctor said slowly.

"And then you stole me." Idris mused. "And I stole you."

"I borrowed you." The Doctor shot back, turning to face Idris again with shrewd green eyes.

She didn't even flinch sa she countered, "Borrowing implies the intention to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ever give _you_ back?"

The Doctor stared at Idris and he asked slowly, "You're the Tardis?"

"Yes." Idris answered with a smile.

"My Tardis?" The Doctor repeated, still unable to believe his own ears and his eyes.

"My Doctor." Idris nodded before she frowned as she looked him over. "And speaking of, you're missing my Lily - _and_ you almost destroyed squash court eight! I love squash court eight, it's where the baby was made."

The Doctor froze again as he realized exactly how much Idris had to know if she were really the Tardis; her comment from earlier about biting came back to him and his lips parted in horror. Idris was uninterested in his mental meltdown as she blinked.

"Oh." She commented, looking back at the Doctor. "We have now reached the point in the conversation where you open the lock."

The Doctor soniced the cage automatically, opening it for Idris while still mostly shell-shocked. Idris beamed as she stepped out of her cage before she asked rather abruptly and randomly, "Are all people like this?"

"Like what?" The Doctor asked, dazed at this latest revelation.

Idris smiled.

"So much bigger on the inside."


End file.
